Fresh plans for Perth millionpound mosque

Earlier bid for new building in city sparked far-right protests

New plans have been unveiled for a millionpound mosque in Perth.

The proposal has been tabled by the city’s Islamic Society to accommodate the area’s growing Muslim population.

It comes three years after an earlier plan angered a far-right-wing organisation. The Scottish Defence League led a demonstration against the mosque in Perth city centre.

But the group’s protest was dwarfed by a counter-demonstration featuring anti-fascism groups from around Scotland.

Campaign group Perth Against Racism last night welcomed the latest plan and said it hoped that the SDL would not return.

The new proposals show a striking design inspired by the society’s Scottish and Islamic heritage.

Fresh plans have been lodged for a million-pound mosque that previously prompted hate-fuelled protests on the streets of Perth.

The city’s Islamic Society has tabled a new bid for a place of worship on Jeanfield Road.

It is hoped that the new centre, with a design that reflects the group’s Scottish and Islamic roots, will accommodate the area’s growing Muslim population.

A previous attempt to build a mosque on the same site in 2017 led to a demonstration by the Scottish Defence League – a self-described far-right movement – who attempted to stir up hatred against the project.

However, the group’s city centre demo in September 2017 was considerably dwarfed by a counterprotest by anti-fascism groups from around the country.

Perth Against Racism said the demonstrations showed widespread support for the mosque plan.

“The community in Perth made it loud and clear that the divisions of the SDL are not welcome here,” a spokeswoman said.

“There was a tremendous show of support for the local mosque and the Muslim community and that support still stands.”

The Scottish Defence League said it was upset because Perth and Kinross Council officers approved the 2017 plans “behind local residents’ backs”.

However, approval lapsed in May and a second, more detailed set of plans now need to be rubber-stamped.

Despite the SDL’s outrage, there were only a handful of objections to the original plan, with some questioning the impact on traffic.

Perth Islamic Society, which has spent the last three years fundraising and finalising a design, said there are now around 650 members of the local Muslim community.

The group is growing out of its current base, about 200 yards away on Glasgow Road.

“The main purpose of the building is to provide enhanced place of worship facilities for the community, enabling both male and female to attend all the prayers,” a spokesman said.

“Prayer sessions are to be morning, lunchtime, mid-afternoon and evening, with 10 to 15 persons attending each prayer session.

“However, it is anticipated that the Friday lunchtime prayer will be attended by 100 to 120 people.”

The mosque will be used for the Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, and at the time of Hajj, usually 10 weeks later.

The basement will be used as a community centre, with facilities offered up to other community groups.

Planners are expected to rule on the development in the coming weeks.

There was a tremendous show of support for the local mosque and the Muslim community and that support still stands. PERTH AGAINST RACISM SPOKESWOMAN

An artist’s impression of the proposed new mosque and community centre on Jeanfield Road, Perth.