Government rejects plan for 9,000-capacity mosque in east London

This is third appeal regarding the site to be rejected

The site, near the Olympic Park in London (Google Street View)

Plans to construct a new mosque in east London have been rejected again by the Government today, with proposals for a place of worship for up to 9,000 Muslims refused permission by the Communities Secretary, Greg Clark.

The mosque, which has been known as the Riverine Centre, the Abbey Mills Mosque, London Markaz and Masjid-e-Ilyas, was proposed by the Tablighi Jamaat, a conservative Islamic sect that argues Muslims should not integrate into a secular society. The group already has a temporary mosque for 2,500 worshippers on the site.

The proposed site, near the Olympic Park in east London, would have housed around 9,300 people in segregated prayer halls, as well as a further 2,000 in a separate hall. Plans also accounted for a library.

“Ministers have today dismissed appeals on the refusal of planning permission for a mosque in the London Borough of Newham," a spokesperson for the Department for Communiites and Local Government told The Independent.

“The decision was based on concerns that include local housing provision and conflict with the council’s local plan for the borough.It also took account of the evidence from all parties and is in line with the council’s original determination and advice from the independent planning inspector on the main appeal.”

The full letter of refusal can be read here.

This is the third appeal to have been dismissed by the Department on the proposed mosque in West Ham, East London. The first appeal was into refusal of planning permission for a large new mosqu, whilst the second appeal sought temporary permission to use the existing buildings as a place of worship in the event that the main appeal was not allowed.

This final appeal was against an enforcement notice requiring the appellants to cease using the site as a place of worship. Those on the site will now have three months to comply with this.

Councillor Ken Clark, Cabinet Member for Building Communities, Public Affairs, Regeneration and Planning, said: “Newham Council has tried to work with the Trust for more than a decade to create a plan that would benefit all residents by providing much needed jobs, homes and community space.

"But repeatedly the Trust has broken its promises and delayed the inevitable. It is now time that this site is made thoroughly safe and developed appropriately so that it can provide vital facilities for the whole community of Newham.”