Protest against mosque expansion
RESIDENTS will tomorrow protest against a religious group’s bid to expand a mosque in the Gold Coast Hinterland from 40 worshippers to up to 200.
As the council considers a new application from the Islamic Multicultural Association Gold Coast to expand its Worongary mosque in Alkira Way, residents say the work has already been completed without public advertising.
The mosque was approved in 2012 following a marathon legal battle which sparked a 1600-signature petition and 539 objections. A pig’s head splattered with red paint and the words “terrorists’’ and “Go back to Afghanistan’’ were put on a fence at the site.
Residents have obtained aerial photographs that allegedly show a sizeable extension to the prayer rooms on the eastern side, moving the building closer to the homes of neighbours.
In a letter to the council, residents Sean Mann and Patricia Harris estimate “an 18 per cent increase in the size of the building within the development”.
The two residents, who represented the original petitioners in the planning court, said the public had not been told of the recent changes.
The new plans did not include additional car parking spaces and the Islamic Multi- cultural Association Gold Coast was attempting to have its $90,000 contribution to a road upgrade either removed or reduced, they added.
An artist’s impression on the developer’s website had shown spaces for 199 worshippers in the male prayer area alone. The Islamic Multicultural Association Gold Coast and its town planner declined to comment.
In its latest application to the council, the association said the court order allowed for a maximum of 40 people on site and did not create enough area to accommodate them.
“It is noted that the proposed extension of the Place of Worship does not significantly differ from the approved plans, does not change the scale and intensity of the built form and does not alter the use of the premises,” the application said.
The changes sought included deferring the costs of an upgrade at Hinkler Drive for four years and sealing the carpark at the property for a year.
After speaking to police, councillor Glenn Tozer said he would not attend the rally.
“I’ve noticed a number of Facebook pages, where antisocial behaviour is voiced and illegal activity is not discouraged, are promoting this community meeting,” he said.
I’VE NOTICED A NUMBER OF FACEBOOK PAGES, WHERE ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IS VOICED AND ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IS NOT DISCOURAGED, ARE PROMOTING THIS COMMUNITY MEETING CR GLENN TOZER