News

Planners throw out BNP mosque ban


29/11/2004

A BID by a British National Party candidate to block the establishment of a permanent mosque in Oldham has been quashed by councillors.
They ruled that an objection to the mosque by Anita Corbett was politically motivated.
Mrs Corbett, who stood as a BNP candidate in the last local elections, claimed that people "did not want" the mosque.
Leaders of the mosque had applied to the planning committee to gain permanent status for the building on Refuge Street, Shaw. It was given temporary planning permission a year ago.
The committee approved the change after rejecting arguments from Mrs Corbett.
Councillor Jeremy Sutcliffe accused her of being politically motivated.
He said: "Basically it is an attempt to create a slur on the people that use the building."
The committee was also told there had not been any complaints from nearby residents about traffic or noise, which was why it had only been given temporary permission in the first place.
Supporting the move to permanent status, Councillor Howard Sykes said: "I have had no complaints and am not aware of any traffic problems that have been exacerbated by the mosque.
"This building has suffered from a number of unsavoury incidents of vandalism and graffiti.
"I think there is another agenda here which has nothing to do with planning and I want nothing to do with it."
He was supported by Councillor Dilys Fletcher who said: "This is a small, stable community that has been in place since the 1960s."


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