Locals from Chew Moor, Bolton, Greater Manchester, said the grassed area outside the mosque was ‘torn up’ to be converted into a 19-space car park.
The grassed area outside the mosque (Image: SWNS)
Alarmed local residents have raised concerns over plans for their ‘village green’ to be replaced by a mosque car park. Residents from Chew Moor, Bolton, Greater Manchester, packed a public meeting over a proposal to build a car park on the mosque’s grounds which is housed in a former church building.
Chew Moor Methodist Church on St John’s Road closed down in 2023 due to its decline in congregation and it was announced a year later that it would be turned into a mosque. Locals were then horrified after the green area outside, which they call their village green, was “turned up” to be converted into a 19-space car park without the correct permission. Speaking at the meeting in local football team Tempest United FC’s club house earlier this week, Cllr Cox said: “I have represented this ward on and off for 16 years.
The green in the village (Image: SWNS)
“When I saw what happened last summer to what acts as the village green, I can’t put into words how angry and annoyed I was.”
The grassed area was “torn up” by diggers last year and trees were taken down, the meeting heard.
Cllr Cox described it as a “wanton act of vandalism”.
Bolton Council required no planning approval to convert the place of worship as there was no “change of use”.
Plans were recently submitted to the council to build a car park with 19 spaces on what has been described as the ‘village green’ adjacent to the church.
But the plans were withdrawn as there had been no environmental report submitted, but it is believed that the proposals will be resubmitted.
Cllr Galloway who sits on the Bolton Council planning committee so can not be partisan, explained to the crowd the planning process.
She said: “The biodiversity report was not given.
An initial planning application was removed (Image: SWNS)
“If a garden is to be concreted over, the applicant has to state how they would mitigate the loss of nature.
“But this applicant has not done one, so the planning application is invalid and it has been taken off the portal.”
She also said the mosque would also need to file an ecology report which may take up to two weeks.
Cllr Galloway also said that any objections to the car park that have already submitted will remain valid.
They include traffic issues, noise issues and ecology issues.
Cllr Galloway also raised the opposite point that parking may help get cars off the road.
Residents attended a public meeting (Image: SWNS)
Residents then gave their thoughts on the development.
One said: “St John’s Road is busy at rush hour, but it is also busy all through the day.”
“Virtually every learner driver in Bolton uses it, plus motorbikes.”
Another said: “I walk my dogs past two to three times a day, people park their cars on the grass.”
Cllr Galloway replied: “I have emailed the planning officer to say they have got to tell the agent it cannot be used for parking until it is approved and constructed.”
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