Angel stalls
CONTROVERSIAL PLAN FOR ISLAMIC CENTRE AT SITE OF FORMER PUB IS WITHDRAWN BUT IS SET TO BE RESUBMITTED
CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn The Angel, in Hayes, into an Islamic centre have been withdrawn before going before Hillingdon Council’s planning committee.
Hayes Muslim Centre trustee Kashif Shaikh said the withdrawal was in order to provide a more thorough proposal, but the plans were still intended to go ahead.
A week before it went to the planning committee the organisation had been warned its first application lacked detail in some areas, including the impact on surrounding roads, and would likely be rejected.
Hayes Muslim Centre therefore made the choice to withdraw it and resubmit.
Mr Shaikh said: “When we looked at the paperwork we saw there was a lot of additional information that they needed. There was an option to withdraw and submit at a later date.”
He said a new planning application would be presented in a couple of months time and that the majority of the plans, including layouts and use, would remain unchanged.
Police had warned The Angel could attract vagrants as it sat empty, Mr Shaikh said, which was why barriers were being put up to protect it.
Mr Shaikh has said The Angel would be usable by the community, including for education, events and classes.
He said it was his hope that everyone, including non-Muslims, would be able to use the rooms for meetings if they wished.
Mr Shaikh said the heritage aspects of the building would be maintained.
The group has raised £1.1 million of the £1.6m required to purchase the building.
Mr Shaikh said previously: “We have purchased the building, but we have until the end of this year to make the payments.
“We have full faith we will be able to get this money from the public.”