Darlaston mosque set for major revamp
A mosque is in line for a major revamp including a library and resource centre and extra car parking.
The Muslim Welfare Society wants to make changes to the existing mosque on Bills Street in Darlaston, which it says will ‘enhance’ the existing place of worship as opposed to creating a ‘super mosque’.
The plans include building a new two-storey extension to the main building, which will make it more accessible for disabled people, as well as creating a dedicated entrance for children in order to meet requirements stipulated by the Department for Education.
The flat roof on the mosque will be replaced by a pitched roof in order to address a number of problems including leaking water. A new two-storey library and resource centre will also be built.
Planning chiefs are set to give the plans the go-ahead at a meeting on Thursday.
Darlaston councillor Doug James praised the plans and called on Walsall Council’s planning committee to give them the green light.
He said: “The Bills Street mosque is undergoing some substantial redevelopment and that area is becoming a cultural centre. I know they have worked very hard on the plans.
“There is a slight controversy as there always is with plans like these because people do not like physical re-developments and they are always sceptical of places of culture and religion.
"But it helps to break down barriers and I hope the planning committee approve it when it comes before them on Thursday.”
The plans were originally approved in April last year but stalled after an agreement on parking fell through.
The mosque had wanted to provide additional parking to the rear of its premises but due to ‘legal issues’ the landowners could not sign up to the agreement.
In response to this the Muslim Welfare Society has now secured an agreement with a separate landowner for a 30-space car park on Salisbury Street, around 410 metres walking distance from the mosque.
A council report prepared on the mosque states: “The library and resource centre would... allow books, Islamic art, artefacts and other community based exhibitions/functions to be accommodated and allow development of non-teaching/non-worship activities to foster greater social-cohesion and integration.”
