Blackburn Mosque seeks to build new kitchen extension

Masjid-E-Saliheen in Didsbury Street, in the Audley and Queens Park ward, has submitted a planning application for the addition.

A design and access statement submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council, prepared by the Urban Future Planning Consultancy Ltd, says: "Masjid-E-Saliheen is a highly regarded local worshipping/community facility that has served the local Muslim resident population for many years.

"Consent is sought for the erection of a single-storey extension to the rear of the building to provide a small kitchen.

"The premises provides a number of extra-curricular activities including cooking classes and seeks enhanced facilities in order to better serve its user base.

How the extension would look

"The council recognises the important and valuable contribution of places of worship to communities across the town and wishes to ensure that the needs of faith communities in Blackburn are appropriately met in the context of a growing and increasingly diverse population.

"The scheme will clearly deliver beneficial sustainable development for the local community that should be granted planning permission, and it will not result in any adverse impacts that would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of its approval.

"The modest dimensions of the proposed extension, alongside its siting - away from the nearest residential properties - mean that it would have a negligible impact on living conditions.

"Moreover, the flue would also be discreetly sited to not result in cooking odours or noise.

"The design of the proposed extension would result in a subordinate addition to the host building.

"Matching materials will ensure the addition assimilates to the host building.

"The siting of the proposed extension ensures that it is discreetly located and not readily visible from the street scene.

"The applicant is keen to ensure the use of high-quality, locally sourced materials to bring the scheme to fruition."