A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build a mosque among houses in Brierfield has been blocked by councillors after a public outcry.

One warned that if the scheme went ahead it could lead to a death or a serious accident on a nearby busy main road.

The Zeenat-ul-Quron Trust applied for outline planning permission to build the mosque for up to 200 worshippers on land off Halifax Road.

But nearby residents claimed it would lead to traffic chaos.

A spokesman for the residents told Pendle Council's Brierfield area committee last night: "This site is obviously not suitable for a building of any community-type use.

"Any planning application of that type would be opposed by residents in the area." The committee refused planning permission.

Councillors were told that since traffic calming measures had been created in nearby Reedley Road, traffic had increased in Halifax Road, and the mosque plan would cause further parking and traffic problems. A new school to be built in Halifax Road would also add to traffic, the meeting heard.

Coun Roy Clarkson said: "I can envisage the school being built, generating goodness knows how much traffic. This mosque will generate even more traffic.

"No-one in Brierfield wants to see a fatality here. There will be, if not a fatality, a serious accident in Halifax Road."

The Trust wants a purpose-built mosque to cater for a minority of Muslims in the town who say they can not use the existing mosque in Bridge Street because of religious differences.

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