A THREE-YEAR bid to create Clitheroe's first mosque could soon become reality -- but with only a two year lifespan.

Plans for the property, in Holden Street, are expected to be given the green light for a two-year period at a meeting of Ribble Valley Borough Council's planning and development committee tomorrow, despite over 200 objections from nearby residents.

Planning officials have recommended approval of the scheme on condition it ceases to be used as a mosque before May 31 2004, religious worship is kept to the extended building only and that there should be no call to prayer or music and singing at the premises.

But Mohammed Arshad, who submitted the application on behalf of mosque trustees, said the Muslim community was 'disappointed and dispondent' at the restrictions imposed by the council, which also include sound-proofing the building.

He said: "The planners have imposed a condition that, if it is approved, we will have to re-apply in two years to keep it as a mosque and this is quite upsetting for us after all the hard work we have put in over the last few years.

"This application has been refused time after time when similar-sized plans for building extensions are passed frequently without question."

"There is now a sizeable Muslim community in Clitheroe and, as there are already a number of churches in the town, we feel we should have the chance to workship here. There have been concerns raised about noise, but there is a 24-hour Tesco's, 24-hour vets and a public car park nearby, so we cannot see a problem."

The proposals include building a single-storey extension to the side and rear to create space for a washing area, disabled toilet and a prayer hall, while retaining the existing ground floor as an Islamic Education Centre, with a store, offices, and library on first floor.

Mr Arshad said: "We don't understand why our worshipping should be restricted just to the new prayer room and why the building should be sound proofed."

The re-submitted application is predominantly the same as the one first submitted in 1999 and follows an appeal that had not been determined due to a technicality.

The original application, submitted by Mr Arshad, prompted about 195 objections from 178 addresses, has been sent to Ribble Valley Borough Council, along with seven anonymous ones. The majority are based upon four standard letters expressing concerns over parking, traffic or congestion issues.

In a report to the committee, planning officer Peter Hancock said: "It is extremely unlikely that any sound of prayer will be heard from the mosque, but there do remain concerns about noise levels arising from activity outside the building, particularly at unsocial hours."

Activity at the mosque is estimated at two or three worshippers in the morning and eight in the evening. The busiest time is 35-minutes on Friday afternoons, with an expected 15 worshippers.