A former rugby clubhouse is set to be turned into a mosque despite a number of objections. Plans have been confirmed to transform the building, which has been vacant for around ten years, after 38 representations against and 163 in favor.
The mosque will open in the former Old Aylestonians Rugby Football Club clubhouse in Leicester. The city council's planning committee has given the green light to plans for the project in the Aylestone area despite fears over traffic safety, parking and noise. Some local residents also suggested that Leicester already had a “large number” of mosques relative to the size of the city's Muslim population.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Dr. Louay Al-Alousi submitted the planning application and will be imam at the new mosque. The place of worship will have space for up to 100 people at once, with Dr Al-Alousi insisting there will be adequate traffic management.
The mosque will be open between 7am and 11pm, with hours extended to 12.30am during Ramadan. A report added that formally scheduled events will be barred from taking place outside the building.
However, some locals said there are already buildings serving as mosques in the area compared to a “limited number of sports facilities”. Others said there are a “large number of mosques in Leicester relative to the Muslim population”.
The planning agenda reads: “One objection refers to 2021 Census data stating that in Leicester there are 35 mosques for over 50,000 Muslims, 22 temples for over 87,000 Hindus and 10 gurudwaras for over 16500 Sikhs and other places of worship without planning permission.”
The Rugby Football Union (RFU), the sport's governing body, was contacted about the plan but raised no objections. They said the building was “no longer used for rugby and there is no strategic need for a pavilion to be used for rugby in this location”.
Patrick Kitterick, Green Party councilor for the Castle area, said he had “sympathy” for local people. However, he does not think the mosque will bring much extra traffic to the area, adding: “I can't see any reason to refuse this tonight”.
The Leicester Community Assist, a charitable trust who put forward the application for change of use, said other mosques in the area had “limited” facilities. They added that there were “no dedicated” spaces for female worshippers.