Plan to turn city pub into prayer centre

Bradford Council has received an application to change the use of the large building, previously known as The Jam Factory, on Great Horton Road, to a use within “non-residential institution” which includes activities such as education and worship.

The applicants are proposing to refer to the building as “Masjid E Taqwa”. Masjid means place of worship. If planning permission is granted the building would be used for prayer, education, marriage registration and advice and counselling.

Bradford Council refused to clarify whether or not the building would be used as a mosque but its own report to be presented to councillors says: “There shall be no call to prayer from the mosque hereby approved between the hours of 20:00 and 08:00, unless otherwise first agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.”

Councillor Nazam Azam, of City Ward, where the applicant lives, is supporting the proposal, which, he understood, was for a madrassa, and has said there are no increases in noise or highway safety concerns over and above the current planning approval.

Councillor Azam said: “My support went in on the basis of the fact that the applicant is from City ward, my ward. In terms of highway safety, in the previous use there was private car parking provision at the rear of the building. I believe that it’s the same at the moment.

“I believe this use is not going to be detrimental to neighbouring residents and their peace and tranquillity because the previous use was associated a lot more with music, loud noise; anti-social behaviour is possibly attributed to drinking and so forth. However these premises will be quite relaxed, quiet with prayer and learning.”

Members of Bradford Council’s Area Planning Panel (Bradford) will be advised to back the proposal when they meet on Thursday.

Almost 400 people have written to the council in support of the scheme while 54 have objected. The council has also received a letter of objection from the Old Road Residents’ Association signed by eight names.

Critics claim there is inadequate parking and on-street parking associated which the use will take parking away from local residents. There are concerns for pedestrian safety.

They say the local community would like the building to remain as a pub and claim the proposal will devalue property.

There are also concerns about noise, loss of residential amenity, and the effect on wildlife.

However, those in support of the proposal claim there are no parking issues and there will actually be reduced noise and traffic, with “less noise than a nightclub”.

They say it will present a chance to “get youths off the street”, will be a positive for the Horton Bank area and the local community and the education centre will “cater for the youth of any colour”.

They claim it will reduce the carbon footprint.

A report to be considered by councillors says: “An education and prayer centre of this size will result in a degree of disturbance from general comings and goings throughout the day and increased on-street parking on a daily basis.

“However the current use of the building as a public house with function room also resulted in levels of disturbance which could occur on a regular basis if the use was successful under the current extant planning permission.”

On the issue of parking, the report says: “In view of the nature of the extant use of the site, which has a higher parking standard than that of the proposed use, the scheme is not considered to raise significant highway safety concerns.”