UK government rejects plans for large east London mosque

The plans and appeals to build a large mosque that can accommodate up to 9,000 worshippers in east London were rejected by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) of the U.K. government.

According the statement posted on the DCLG website, "the decision was based on concerns that include local housing provision and conflict with the council's local plan for the borough. It also took account of the evidence from all parties and is in line with the council's original determination and advice from the independent planning inspector on the main appeal."

British daily The Guardian reported that the Islamic movement Tablighi Jamaat has been trying to build a large mosque, dining hall and a library for 18 years to the site known as the Riverine Centre, the Abbey Mills mosque, London Markaz and Masjid-e-Ilyas. The article stated that the Tablighi Jamaat bought the site located in borough of Newham in 1996, which was previously a chemical works until it was decommissioned in the late 1980s, and a mosque with a capacity of 2,500 people, was built on the site.

The article reported that the plans were rejected by Newham council in 2012 citing concerns on its size and impact on traffic and parking. However, the issue earlier raised controversy in 2007 as more than 250,000 people signed an online petition opposing the plans for the mosque on xenophobic and Islamophobic grounds.