A NEW police station in Accrington could be built on land next to a proposed £4million mosque.

Lancashire Police are keen to move from its current Grade-II listed Accrington Road building which is costing the force money to maintain.

A £1.5million move to a new building was put on hold last year pending the organisational reviews into frontline policing.

Then provisional plans to rent a property called Castle House adjacent to the existing site were submitted to the council.

It is on police owned land and was formerly the road policing unit. Lancashire Police Authority was told that plan would be ‘cost neutral’.

Now an alternative option has been added to the equation, with Hyndburn Council saying the police have made inquiries about land between Steiner Street, Portland Street and Frederick Street, off Hyndburn Road in west Accrington.

Part of the land is earmarked for a mosque for 2,500 worshippers. The police station would be built next door to it.

Central ward Coun Allah Dad said: “This land was reserved for a mosque. The committee and the community still want it there and there is a demand and a need for it.

“It was promised in 2009, the funding is there, but there have been delays. I think this is down to a lack of communication and a change in council control.

“We are waiting for an agreement to be put in place and I’m going to try and make sure it happens.

“We have only just found about the possible plans for a police station. People don’t want it there and we will campaign strongly against this. We are not against a police station, just the location. This land is reserved for the mosque.”

Chief Insp Julian Platt said the site was one of a number of different location being considered.

He said: “We are looking for the most suitable site which allows us to best serve the communities of Hyndburn.”

A final decision will be made by Lancashire Police Authority.