Plans for a controversial new mosque in Fulwood, in Lancashire, have been put on hold by members of Preston City Council’s planning committee. The councillors voted to defer the plans, to replace the Masjid-e-Salaam mosque in Watling Street Road with a new purpose-built building, amid concerns over traffic – despite the proposals being recommended for approval by the council’s planning officers. Now members of the Preston Muslim Society are considering appeal against the decision. Mosque trustee Munaf Patel said he was baffled by the committee’s stance, despite the plans getting the approval of the Fulwood Conservation Group, which described the newly submitted plans as a vast improvement’, and local residents. He said: “I really do not know what else we could have done. We have worked very hard to appease everyone and now the plans will have to go on hold again.” He added: “A place of worship should not be something that angers the local community and we have had that in mind since the start of this process. We want to live in the area and work with the local residents and that is what we will do.”http://themuslimweekly.com/newsdetails/fullstoryview.aspx?NewsID=4F329F44D143621301626367&MENUID=HOMENEWS&DESCRIPTION=UK%20News
