Church leaders back plans for Harrogate's first mosque

Church leaders have backed plans for Harrogate’s first mosque, claiming “the time is right” to build a place of worship for the Muslim community.

Islamic Association (HIA) has applied for planning permission to convert the former Home Guards Club, in Belford Road, into a place of worship.

The application has polarised opinion in the town, as more than 170 people have written to Harrogate Borough Council to either back the plans or object.

Bishop of Ripon Helen-Ann Hartley and 21 other church leaders in Harrogate signed a letter of support for the project earlier this week.

It reads: “As church leaders in Harrogate, we the undersigned wish to express our support for our Muslim friends and neighbours as they seek a suitable site for a dedicated place of worship.

“We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to worship and, without wishing to prejudge the specific suitability of the site.

“We believe that the time is right for the creation of a permanent mosque to serve the needs of Muslims who live and work in our community.”

One supporter, Caroline Linford, said the Muslim community in Harrogate “deserve to have a place of worship of their own” and this site “seems like a perfect location” as it is near the town centre.

Another supporter, Jon Kelly, wrote: “I would be very saddened to live in a town that would object to this kind of application and would find it hard to explain to my children why this decision was made should it not be passed.

“We should surely be welcoming to all faiths and encourage the opportunity to celebrate all manner of different cultures in our town.”

However, objectors have raised concerns about additional traffic on the surrounding roads and claim there are already issues with congestion and a lack of parking.

It comes after a number of people in Harrogate received anonymous letters last month which said they should object to the application because the mosque would “only serve one section of the community”.

Planning lawyer Gavin Boby, who calls himself “the mosque buster”, also said in a video that he had been asked to help campaign against the plans.

The HIA said it wants to convert the empty two-storey social club into a space that can be used for religious, community and charitable events.

The plans for the mosque also state it “would not have an unacceptable impact” on the surrounding roads because it is near the town centre and there are excellent public transport links.

Harrogate Borough Council has not revealed when it will make a decision on the planning application.

SOURCE: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/church-leaders-back-plans-for-harrogates-first-mosque-3559975

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