A NEW mosque for Shia Muslims is to be created in the Bastwell area of Blackburn despite protests from nearby residents and other Muslim groups.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning committee has approved a project to convert a photographic studio in Jubilee Mill, Logwood Street, into a mosque and madressa - an out of school learning facility for children.

More than 150 householders in the surrounding area had signed a petition in a bid to persuade councillors to reject the scheme.

And members of the Sunni Muslim Oak Street Mosque also objected to the plans because they say there are already three mosques in the area.

Conservative councillors voted against the plan because they said it would create major traffic and parking problems in the area.

Coun Fred Slater said: "This is a one way street with limited parking. "

Labour Coun Peter Greenwood said: "Muslims have different sects and religious differentiation and have the right to pursue their beliefs."

"We can't treat one application for a mosque one way and another a different way and in this, as in all cases, we must refer to the planning grounds laid down."

Fellow Labour Coun Andy Kay said: "This will be monitored over two years and if it turns out to be of a size and scale which was not envisaged, action will be taken."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.