Plans to convert part of a madrassah on a residential street into a mosque have been refused by a planning committee.
Although the applicants had argued that the mosque would only be used by 50 worshippers or less, Councillors pointed out that a supporting petition had been signed by almost 200 people, suggesting that the actual number of users could be much higher.
Anwaar-Ul-Islam on Woodhall Avenue in Thornbury has been operating as a madrassah since 2012, when planning permission was granted to convert the end terrace shop into a religious education centre.
One of the conditions of that approval was that the building could only be used for education use – not as a place of worship.
Last year Mohammed Kashif Ali applied for planning permission to convert the ground floor of the building into a mosque. The application to Bradford Council shows space for 50 worshippers.
Bradford Council had received four objections to the plans, four comments of support and a petition in support of the proposal containing 195 signatures.
The application went before the Council’s Bradford Planning Panel on Wednesday morning, where planning officers urged members to refuse the application.
Officers pointed out there was no off-street parking for worshippers, and a report to the panel said: “The application would lead to an increase in on-street parking, in an area that already experiences high levels of on-street parking, likely to lead conditions prejudicial to pedestrian and highway safety.”
They also suggested the “noise and disturbance” created by the mosque would harm the amenity of local residents.
Speaking on behalf of the applicants, Ghazanfer Khaliq told the panel although the plans showed 50 prayer mats, he did not think the building could accommodate 50 worshippers.
He acknowledged there would be a reliance on on-street parking, but added: “I don’t think that would be a major issue.
“The assumption is that it will be local people who attend. They are not going to be coming in cars.”
There was some suggestion the panel could add a condition to the application to limit the amount of worshippers.
But Bob Power, legal officer, suggested that it would be very difficult to condition any such limits, adding: “You would need a Council officer there at all times to monitor it. That isn’t going to happen.”
Councillor Sinead Engel (Lab, Clayton and Fairweather Green) said: “I don’t feel comfortable undermining the condition on the planning application that was granted in 2012.
“There was a petition of 195 people who want this, but we’ve been told only 30 to 50 people will be able to make use of it.
“It is the wrong site – they need a bigger place.”
The majority of members then voted to refuse the application.
