Blackburn nursery earmarked for new mosque

A LARGE former nursery building in Blackburn has been earmarked for a new mosque and madrassah.

Muslim Welfare Institute want to turn it into a place of worship and Islamic education centre.

The former Emerald Street Nursery in Emerald Street, Roe Lee was originally part of a local mill.

The planning application to Blackburn with Darwen Council also proposed a single storey extension to house ablution and toilet facilities.

A supporting statement from the Urban Future Planning Consultancy says: “The site was originally the offices/the gatehouse for the adjacent Vale Mill.

“The site has however been in use as a nursery for several decades.

“The application site comprises a two-storey brick-built building.

“Consent was first granted for the change of use to fulltime day nursery with 35 children at the site in 1989.

“The application site has stood vacant for some time following the closure of the nursery in 2022 and the proposal would put the site to effective use.

“Consent is sought for the change of use of the former children’s nursery premises in Emerald Street, Blackburn into a Mosque/Madrassa.

“The building would comprise of a prayer facility for worship with classrooms for the Madrassa / after school learning element.

“The ground floor worshipping element will also include hygienic ablution facilities.

“The proposal provides the opportunity for the direction of prayer to face more accurately to the Qibla and also provide enhanced security measures in terms of a lobby and entrance hall.

“There are very limited changes proposed to the building’s exterior.

“The applicant is looking to meet the needs of the area’s Muslim resident community by offering a Place of Worship / Madrassa.

“Within Blackburn with Darwen, the proportion of Muslim population is the third highest among all local authorities in the UK and the highest outside London.

“Whilst all uses generate some activity, the worship/small madrassa element is not considered to be unduly noisy and there are many examples within the borough and beyond of where such facilities exist adjacent to residential properties.

“They tend to operate without any known detriment to nearby occupiers.

“The existing building has long served the local community as a large children’s nursery and those residing nearby are well accustomed to its use and the activity generated by it (e.g. comings and goings of parents/staff).

“The applicant is looking to better meet the needs of the area’s Muslim resident community by offering a community worship facility accessible on foot from surrounding residential streets.”