FYLDE Coast Muslims are praying their application for a new mosque will receive the blessing of Blackpool planners on Monday (September 27).

But 400 neighbours have signed a petition against the plan to convert the former Cartmels sign factory, in a back-street behind Revoe Library, into a mosque and Islamic community centre, and 15 more have written letters of objection.

Opponents say this is the wrong site - the area is already too traffic-congested, they fear accidents with the 800-pupil Revoe Primary School nearby and parking is inadequate.

This is the second bid for the same site from the Islamic community, which has outgrown its existing premises in Rigby Road. On Fridays, the Muslim sabbath, they hire a room at Revoe Library for the 90-strong congregation. The first application was turned down in April 1998, mainly on traffic and parking grounds. However, council officers are now in support of the scheme, having carried out traffic surveys which found most worshippers arrived on foot and religious services did not clash with busy school times.

But ward councillor Eddie Collett does not agree: "I'm not as convinced as the officers that the approval of the application will not affect the residents - I still believe the traffic and parking problems would be worse than they are already and that is not acceptable.

"And apart from that, I don't see why, in 1999, we need to have a mosque hidden away in a back alley - it should be on a main street and the whole community should be comfortable with that."

Neighbour Mrs Betty Holder, of Central Drive, said: "We're all very much against it. It's the wrong location to put a mosque in the midst of all these blocks of houses.

"The parking problems are going to be horrendous - even as it is I can't get my car into the garage on a Friday when they use Revoe Library, and with a mosque and community centre there I wouldn't be able to get in at all."

With Blackpool Council's help in the past 12 months the Muslim community has made several attempts to find other premises, but without success.

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