A NEW £1million mosque, as high as the Keirby Hotel, will dominate the skyline in Stoneyholme, Burnley - but nobody in the local community is complaining!

The Bangladeshi mosque and teaching centre in Burns Street will be by far the biggest in East Lancashire and will tower above nearby houses.

The dome of the building will touch 100ft, a minaret will reach 112ft and council officers admit the very scale of the building caused initial concern. But there has been no complaints from residents in the Asian-dominated area.

In their report to councillors, officers said the whole building, which will feature Islamic architecture and house up to 3,000 worshippers, would be imposing and clearly visible over the rooftops. It will eliminate sunlight from ground floor rooms of neighbouring houses and dominate the view of other nearby homes.

But neighbours wrote backing the plan and members of the development control sub- committee gave the proposal the nod after receiving a 1,000-name petition supporting it. And community leader Mozaquir Ali today hailed it as "a development to be proud of."

However, because of the building's site close to neighbouring properties, the proposal must be advertised. If there are no objections, it will be accepted, but objections would trigger another meeting for a final decision.

In their report, officers said the site would provide just 22 parking spaces, well below car parking standards and there would be considerably increased pedestrian movement in the area.

Environmental health chiefs said their main concern was the potential for disturbance if an amplified 'call to prayer' system was used, but council officers say this would be overcome by conditions placed on the building.

Community leader Coun Ali, said the decision would allow fund-raising among Asian communities throughout the North to go ahead. £100,000 in donations had already been promised.

Coun Ali said the building would provide 10 classes for the seperate teaching of boys and girls and the whole of the first floor would be used for women's activities.

No start date has yet been fixed, but the development must be completed within three years to comply with planning conditions.

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