College room converted tomosque

PLANS to convert an office into a mosque outside Hinckley were approved by the borough council.

The space at the Hijaz Manor off the A5 will be converted to create a 372 square metre place of worship.

Permission was granted on December 17 Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council with the works needing to be completed within three years.

A report filed with the application said: “The application seeks planning permission for the change of use of an existing classroom/office building to a mosque.

“The application is retrospective as the classroom is already in use as prayer room and the external disabled ramp has been installed.

“The building sits in front of the main building on the site.

“The only external alteration is for a ramp to allow disabled access to the main door on the west side.

“Internal alterations include the removal of existing partition walls to form two rooms, one for men and one for women and children.”

The manor is home to Hijaz College, an Islamic institute which combines religious education with modern secular sciences.

The site access is off the A5 and is under the jurisdiction of Highways England, which initially recommended that the application not be granted as it required further assessment.

The body later revised its recommendation to offer no objec- tions.

The Local Highway Authority at Leicestershire County Council said that the development would not have a big impact on the county’s highways network.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, whose boundary is just to the south of the college, said the change of use would not have a major effect on its area.