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09
Mar 2022
Harrogate Islamic Association has said the “goodwill” of the local community helped it overcome a campaign against its plans to open the town’s first mosque.
The plans to convert the former Home Guard Club on Belford Road into a place of worship were approved last week after several residents received letters in January which said they should object because the mosque would “only serve one section of the community”.
Bristol-based planning lawyer Gavin Boby – who calls himself “the mosque buster” – also said in a YouTube video that he had been asked to help campaign against the plans.
Harrogate Islamic Association member Zahed Amanullah has now said he believes the support of most residents – and other religious groups – helped the association win approval from Harrogate Borough Council.
Mr Amanullah told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
The former Home Guard club in Harrogate.
In response, Harrogate Islamic Association said in its plans that the mosque “would not have an unacceptable impact” on the surrounding roads because it is near the town centre and there are public transport links.
The association – which currently meets in the Quakers’ Friends Meeting House – has been looking for a permanent home in Harrogate for around a decade.
Previous attempts to lay roots at other buildings have fallen through and the group has now raised around £400,000 of the £500,000 needed to buy the former Home Guard club.
The association said it wants to convert the boarded-up building into a space that can be used for religious, community and charitable events.
Mr Amanullah said additional funding will be needed to carry out these works as much of the roof structure and ground floor will have to be replaced.
He said:
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