Plans for new mosque in Middlesbrough so worshippers don't have to pray in car park

Earlier this year, Central Masjid chairman Gohar Ihsan said they had outgrown the current site on Southfield Road and people were praying outside, even in the winter months. Now, proposals have been submitted to Middlesbrough Council detailing a new scheme.

If the plans are given the go-ahead, a new five-storey building with a mosque, community centre, and a cafe will be built. It will also include an outdoor roof terrace, three student flats and a 21-space basement car park.

The mosque is embedded within the local community and has a food bank that opens every Wednesday between 10am and 11am. Mr Ihsan said 99.9% of the users of the food bank were not Muslims. He believes it is part of the mosque’s role to welcome and accommodate everyone in the community.

Previously, Mr Ihsan said: “The mosque that we are building is not just a mosque, the whole point of the development is there is a broader vision for a community hub. There is nothing like this in the whole area and the North East.

“It will be the most productive mosque in terms of delivery and interaction in the whole of the country. It’s a big claim to make, and it’s bold, but we are confident we will be able to deliver on that. We’ve got a great team and a great vision.

“You outgrow spaces sometimes. Currently, we have people praying outside in the rain sometimes on Fridays and it’s freezing cold, especially in the winter. In the summer there are more people, and the car park is absolutely ram packed.”

As part of the project, the current mosque will be knocked down.