South Woodford Mosque Expansion Loses Appeal

More great work by South Woodford locals.

A long running campaign by residents against an expansion of the Qurani Murkuz Trust in Mulberry Way , was bolstered by the dismissal of an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate

The appeal against Redbridge Council’s decision, lodged by Liquat Khan of , South Woodford, came after the authority rejected plans to demolish the community centre for it to be replaced by a three-storey building.

The appeal was turned down by the planning inspectorate on the grounds:-

Its bulk and height, combined with its plot coverage, would make it appear over-dominant and intrusive seen in conjunction with the much smaller scale neighbouring residential development.”

The Inspector stated that the Trust’s attempts to scale down plans, by lowering the building’s roof height for instance, were “insufficient”.

It is concluded that the proposed development would detract from the character and appearance of the surrounding area.

Great work Team South Woodford , standby for a resubmission. Keep fighting !!

Landmark South London Pub Saved By Locals

More good news from South London , after huge pressure from locals forced the withdrawal of plans to covert the landmark Portmanor pub into a mosque. The pub has been shut since last May after its landlord Geoff Charles decided to leave following what he described as a “lack of support” from its owners, the pub company Punch Taverns.

Ansarul-lah Mission, an independent Muslim organisation, had applied to convert The Portmanor, in Portland Road, into a mosque and community centre. The application was for a facility for over 200 worshipers , with no onsite or nearby parking. (clearly they did`nt think this through properly)

However , local residents rallied and lodged over 600 objections. The application was withdrawn just before the decision (probably refusal).

We have no doubt we`ll see this application again.

// <![CDATA[
(function(){var k=this,aa=function(a,b){var c=a.split("."),d=k;c[0]in d||!d.execScript||d.execScript("var "+c[0]);for(var e;c.length&&(e=c.shift());)c.length||void 0===b?d=d[e]?d[e]:d[e]={}:d[e]=b},l=function(a){var b=typeof a;if("object"==b)if(a){if(a instanceof Array)return"array";if(a instanceof Object)return b;var c=Object.prototype.toString.call(a);if("[object Window]"==c)return"object";if("[object Array]"==c||"number"==typeof a.length&&"undefined"!=typeof a.splice&&"undefined"!=typeof a.propertyIsEnumerable&&!a.propertyIsEnumerable("splice"))return"array";if("[object Function]"==c||"undefined"!=typeof a.call&&"undefined"!=typeof a.propertyIsEnumerable&&!a.propertyIsEnumerable("call"))return"function"}else return"null";else if("function"==b&&"undefined"==typeof a.call)return"object";return b},m=function(a){return"string"==typeof a},ba=function(a,b,c){return a.call.apply(a.bind,arguments)},ca=function(a,b,c){if(!a)throw Error();if(2<arguments.length){var d=Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,2);return function(){var c=Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);Array.prototype.unshift.apply(c,d);return a.apply(b,c)}}return function(){return a.apply(b,arguments)}},n=function(a,b,c){n=Function.prototype.bind&&-1!=Function.prototype.bind.toString().indexOf("native code")?ba:ca;return n.apply(null,arguments)},p=Date.now||function(){return+new Date},q=function(a,b){function c(){}c.prototype=b.prototype;a.ka=b.prototype;a.prototype=new c;a.qa=function(a,c,f){for(var g=Array(arguments.length-2),h=2;h<arguments.length;h++)g[h-2]=arguments[h];return b.prototype[c].apply(a,g)}};var da=String.prototype.trim?function(a){return a.trim()}:function(a){return a.replace(/^[\s\xa0]+|[\s\xa0]+$/g,"")},r=function(a,b){return ab?1:0};var t=function(a){t[” “](a);return a};t[” “]=function(){};var ea=function(a,b){try{return t(a[b]),!0}catch(c){}return!1};var v=function(a){try{return!!a&&null!=a.location.href&&ea(a,”foo”)}catch(b){return!1}};var fa=function(a){var b=window;b.google_image_requests||(b.google_image_requests=[]);var c=b.document.createElement(“img”);c.src=a;b.google_image_requests.push(c)};var ga=document;var w=function(a,b,c){b=n(c,b);a.addEventListener?a.addEventListener(“click”,b,!1):a.attachEvent&&a.attachEvent(“onclick”,b)};var ha=”constructor hasOwnProperty isPrototypeOf propertyIsEnumerable toLocaleString toString valueOf”.split(” “),ia=function(a,b){for(var c,d,e=1;e<arguments.length;e++){d=arguments[e];for(c in d)a[c]=d[c];for(var f=0;f<ha.length;f++)c=ha[f],Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(d,c)&&(a[c]=d[c])}},ka=function(a){var b=arguments.length;if(1==b&&"array"==l(arguments[0]))return ka.apply(null,arguments[0]);for(var c={},d=0;d<b;d++)c[arguments[d]]=!0;return c};var la=function(a){var b={};if(a&&a.key_value){a=a.key_value;for(var c=0;cc?Math.max(0,a.length+c):c;if(m(a))return m(b)&&1==b.length?a.indexOf(b,c):-1;for(;cparseFloat(a))?String(b):a}(),ua={},H=function(a){var b;if(!(b=ua[a])){b=0;for(var c=da(String(ta)).split(“.”),d=da(String(a)).split(“.”),e=Math.max(c.length,d.length),f=0;0==b&&f<e;f++){var g=c[f]||"",h=d[f]||"",u=RegExp("(\\d*)(\\D*)","g"),Pa=RegExp("(\\d*)(\\D*)","g");do{var y=u.exec(g)||["","",""],D=Pa.exec(h)||["","",""];if(0==y[0].length&&0==D[0].length)break;b=r(0==y[1].length?0:parseInt(y[1],10),0==D[1].length?0:parseInt(D[1],10))||r(0==y[2].length,0==D[2].length)||r(y[2],D[2])}while(0==b)}b=ua[a]=0<=b}return b},va=k.document,wa=sa(),xa=!va||!E||!wa&&C()?void 0:wa||("CSS1Compat"==va.compatMode?parseInt(ta,10):5);!F&&!E||E&&E&&(C()||9<=xa)||F&&H("1.9.1");var ya=E&&!H("9");var za=function(a){var b=document;return m(a)?b.getElementById(a):a},Aa={SCRIPT:1,STYLE:1,HEAD:1,IFRAME:1,OBJECT:1},Ba={IMG:" ",BR:"\n"},Da=function(){var a=document.getElementById("feedback-closing-template");if(ya&&"innerText"in a)a=a.innerText.replace(/(\r\n|\r|\n)/g,"\n");else{var b=[];Ca(a,b,!0);a=b.join("")}a=a.replace(/ \xAD /g," ").replace(/\xAD/g,"");a=a.replace(/\u200B/g,"");ya||(a=a.replace(/ +/g," "));" "!=a&&(a=a.replace(/^\s*/,""));return a},Ca=function(a,b,c){if(!(a.nodeName in Aa))if(3==a.nodeType)c?b.push(String(a.nodeValue).replace(/(\r\n|\r|\n)/g,"")):b.push(a.nodeValue);else if(a.nodeName in Ba)b.push(Ba[a.nodeName]);else for(a=a.firstChild;a;)Ca(a,b,c),a=a.nextSibling};E&&H(12);var Ea=function(){var a=document.body,b;if(ma&&!v(z)){for(var c="."+ga.domain;2=a.oa)};var Ga=function(a){a=String(a);if(/^\s*$/.test(a)?0:/^[\],:{}\s\u2028\u2029]*$/.test(a.replace(/\\[“\\\/bfnrtu]/g,”@”).replace(/”[^”\\\n\r\u2028\u2029\x00-\x08\x0a-\x1f]*”|true|false|null|-?\d+(?:\.\d*)?(?:[eE][+\-]?\d+)?/g,”]”).replace(/(?:^|:|,)(?:[\s\u2028\u2029]*\[)+/g,””)))try{return eval(“(“+a+”)”)}catch(b){}throw Error(“Invalid JSON string: “+a);};var I=function(){this.R=this.R;this.ha=this.ha};I.prototype.R=!1;var J=function(a,b){this.type=a;this.currentTarget=this.target=b;this.defaultPrevented=this.m=!1;this.V=!0};J.prototype.preventDefault=function(){this.defaultPrevented=!0;this.V=!1};var Ha=!E||E&&(C()||9<=xa),Ia=E&&!H("9");!G||H("528");F&&H("1.9b")||E&&H("8")||qa&&H("9.5")||G&&H("528");F&&!H("8")||E&&H("9");var K=function(a,b){J.call(this,a?a.type:"");this.relatedTarget=this.currentTarget=this.target=null;this.charCode=this.keyCode=this.button=this.screenY=this.screenX=this.clientY=this.clientX=this.offsetY=this.offsetX=0;this.metaKey=this.shiftKey=this.altKey=this.ctrlKey=!1;this.S=this.state=null;if(a){var c=this.type=a.type;this.target=a.target||a.srcElement;this.currentTarget=b;var d=a.relatedTarget;d?F&&(ea(d,"nodeName")||(d=null)):"mouseover"==c?d=a.fromElement:"mouseout"==c&&(d=a.toElement);this.relatedTarget=d;this.offsetX=G||void 0!==a.offsetX?a.offsetX:a.layerX;this.offsetY=G||void 0!==a.offsetY?a.offsetY:a.layerY;this.clientX=void 0!==a.clientX?a.clientX:a.pageX;this.clientY=void 0!==a.clientY?a.clientY:a.pageY;this.screenX=a.screenX||0;this.screenY=a.screenY||0;this.button=a.button;this.keyCode=a.keyCode||0;this.charCode=a.charCode||("keypress"==c?a.keyCode:0);this.ctrlKey=a.ctrlKey;this.altKey=a.altKey;this.shiftKey=a.shiftKey;this.metaKey=a.metaKey;this.state=a.state;this.S=a;a.defaultPrevented&&this.preventDefault()}};q(K,J);K.prototype.preventDefault=function(){K.ka.preventDefault.call(this);var a=this.S;if(a.preventDefault)a.preventDefault();else if(a.returnValue=!1,Ia)try{if(a.ctrlKey||112=a.keyCode)a.keyCode=-1}catch(b){}};var L=”closure_listenable_”+(1E6*Math.random()|0),Ja=0;var Ka=function(a,b,c,d,e){this.listener=a;this.F=null;this.src=b;this.type=c;this.w=!!d;this.A=e;this.key=++Ja;this.o=this.v=!1},M=function(a){a.o=!0;a.listener=null;a.F=null;a.src=null;a.A=null};var N=function(a){this.src=a;this.g={};this.G=0};N.prototype.add=function(a,b,c,d,e){var f=a.toString();a=this.g[f];a||(a=this.g[f]=[],this.G++);var g=O(a,b,d,e);-1<g?(b=a[g],c||(b.v=!1)):(b=new Ka(b,this.src,f,!!d,e),b.v=c,a.push(b));return b};N.prototype.remove=function(a,b,c,d){a=a.toString();if(!(a in this.g))return!1;var e=this.g[a];b=O(e,b,c,d);return-1<b?(M(e[b]),A.splice.call(e,b,1),0==e.length&&(delete this.g[a],this.G–),!0):!1};var P=function(a,b){var c=b.type;if(c in a.g){var d=a.g[c],e=na(d,b),f;(f=0<=e)&&A.splice.call(d,e,1);f&&(M(b),0==a.g[c].length&&(delete a.g[c],a.G–))}};N.prototype.K=function(a,b,c,d){a=this.g[a.toString()];var e=-1;a&&(e=O(a,b,c,d));return-1<e?a[e]:null};var O=function(a,b,c,d){for(var e=0;e<a.length;++e){var f=a[e];if(!f.o&&f.listener==b&&f.w==!!c&&f.A==d)return e}return-1};var Q="closure_lm_"+(1E6*Math.random()|0),R={},La=0,S=function(a,b,c,d,e){if("array"==l(b))for(var f=0;f<b.length;f++)S(a,b[f],c,d,e);else if(c=Ma(c),a&&a[L])a.listen(b,c,d,e);else{if(!b)throw Error("Invalid event type");var f=!!d,g=T(a);g||(a[Q]=g=new N(a));c=g.add(b,c,!1,d,e);if(!c.F){d=Na();c.F=d;d.src=a;d.listener=c;if(a.addEventListener)a.addEventListener(b.toString(),d,f);else if(a.attachEvent)a.attachEvent(Oa(b.toString()),d);else throw Error("addEventListener and attachEvent are unavailable.");La++}}},Na=function(){var a=Qa,b=Ha?function(c){return a.call(b.src,b.listener,c)}:function(c){c=a.call(b.src,b.listener,c);if(!c)return c};return b},Ra=function(a,b,c,d,e){if("array"==l(b))for(var f=0;f<b.length;f++)Ra(a,b[f],c,d,e);else c=Ma(c),a&&a[L]?a.unlisten(b,c,d,e):a&&(a=T(a))&&(b=a.K(b,c,!!d,e))&&Sa(b)},Sa=function(a){if("number"!=typeof a&&a&&!a.o){var b=a.src;if(b&&b[L])P(b.l,a);else{var c=a.type,d=a.F;b.removeEventListener?b.removeEventListener(c,d,a.w):b.detachEvent&&b.detachEvent(Oa(c),d);La–;(c=T(b))?(P(c,a),0==c.G&&(c.src=null,b[Q]=null)):M(a)}}},Oa=function(a){return a in R?R[a]:R[a]="on"+a},Ua=function(a,b,c,d){var e=!0;if(a=T(a))if(b=a.g[b.toString()])for(b=b.concat(),a=0;ae.keyCode||void 0!=e.returnValue)){a:{var f=!1;if(0==e.keyCode)try{e.keyCode=-1;break a}catch(g){f=!0}if(f||void 0==e.returnValue)e.returnValue=!0}e=[];for(f=c.currentTarget;f;f=f.parentNode)e.push(f);for(var f=a.type,h=e.length-1;!c.m&&0<=h;h–){c.currentTarget=e[h];var u=Ua(e[h],f,!0,c),d=d&&u}for(h=0;!c.m&&h>>0),Ma=function(a){if(“function”==l(a))return a;a[U]||(a[U]=function(b){return a.handleEvent(b)});return a[U]};var V=function(){I.call(this);this.l=new N(this);this.Z=this;this.T=null};q(V,I);V.prototype[L]=!0;V.prototype.addEventListener=function(a,b,c,d){S(this,a,b,c,d)};V.prototype.removeEventListener=function(a,b,c,d){Ra(this,a,b,c,d)};V.prototype.dispatchEvent=function(a){var b,c=this.T;if(c)for(b=[];c;c=c.T)b.push(c);var c=this.Z,d=a.type||a;if(m(a))a=new J(a,c);else if(a instanceof J)a.target=a.target||c;else{var e=a;a=new J(d,c);ia(a,e)}var e=!0,f;if(b)for(var g=b.length-1;!a.m&&0<=g;g–)f=a.currentTarget=b[g],e=W(f,d,!0,a)&&e;a.m||(f=a.currentTarget=c,e=W(f,d,!0,a)&&e,a.m||(e=W(f,d,!1,a)&&e));if(b)for(g=0;!a.m&&g<b.length;g++)f=a.currentTarget=b[g],e=W(f,d,!1,a)&&e;return e};V.prototype.listen=function(a,b,c,d){return this.l.add(String(a),b,!1,c,d)};V.prototype.unlisten=function(a,b,c,d){return this.l.remove(String(a),b,c,d)};var W=function(a,b,c,d){b=a.l.g[String(b)];if(!b)return!0;b=b.concat();for(var e=!0,f=0;f<b.length;++f){var g=b[f];if(g&&!g.o&&g.w==c){var h=g.listener,u=g.A||g.src;g.v&&P(a.l,g);e=!1!==h.call(u,d)&&e}}return e&&0!=d.V};V.prototype.K=function(a,b,c,d){return this.l.K(String(a),b,c,d)};var X=function(a,b){V.call(this);this.B=a||1;this.s=b||k;this.I=n(this.la,this);this.L=p()};q(X,V);X.prototype.enabled=!1;X.prototype.h=null;X.prototype.la=function(){if(this.enabled){var a=p()-this.L;0<a&&a<.8*this.B?this.h=this.s.setTimeout(this.I,this.B-a):(this.h&&(this.s.clearTimeout(this.h),this.h=null),this.dispatchEvent("tick"),this.enabled&&(this.h=this.s.setTimeout(this.I,this.B),this.L=p()))}};X.prototype.start=function(){this.enabled=!0;this.h||(this.h=this.s.setTimeout(this.I,this.B),this.L=p())};X.prototype.stop=function(){this.enabled=!1;this.h&&(this.s.clearTimeout(this.h),this.h=null)};var Y=function(a,b,c,d){this.O=a;this.ca=b;this.da=c;this.D=0;this.u=document.getElementById("mtadmas");this.ma=document.getElementById("mtadmaundo");this.M=document.getElementById("mtadmac");this.$=document.getElementById("mtadmback");this.U=document.getElementById("mtadmpc");this.na=document.getElementById("mtadmpundo");this.j=this.Y=this.J=this.P=this.N=null;this.C=!1;this.H=null;this.ga=d?d.getAdsLength():1;(this.i=d)&&this.i.registerWidget(this,0)},Va=function(a){for(var b=document.getElementsByName("surveyOptions"),c=0;c<b.length;c++)w(b[c],a,n(a.ia,a,b[c].value));w(a.ma,a,n(a.X,a,"1"));w(a.na,a,n(a.X,a,"3"));w(a.$,a,a.back);a.i&&(a.i.listenOnObject("mute_option_selected",n(a.W,a)),a.i.forEachAd(n(function(a){a.listenOnObject("multislot_mute_collapse",n(this.fa,this));a.listenOnObject("multislot_mute_collapse_undo",n(this.ea,this))},a)))};Y.prototype.W=function(a){this.N=a.close_button_token;this.P=a.creative_conversion_url;this.J=a.ablation_config;this.Y=a.undo_callback;this.i&&(this.H=this.i.getAd(a.creative_index));if(1===a.type){a=document.getElementsByName("surveyOptions");for(var b=0;b<a.length;b++)a[b].checked=!1;this.u.style.display="block";Z(this);Wa(this)}else 0===a.type&&(this.U.style.display="block",this.u.style.display="none",Z(this),Xa(this,document.getElementById("pub-feedback-closing"),this.J))};var Ya=function(a){a.j&&(a.j.stop(),a.j=null,a.C=!1);za("pub-feedback-closing").style.display="none";za("ad-feedback-closing").style.display="none"};Y.prototype.X=function(a){this.C||(Ya(this),fa(Za(this,"user_feedback_undo",a)),this.Y())};Y.prototype.back=function(){this.C||(Ya(this),this.u.style.display="block",Z(this),Wa(this))};Y.prototype.ia=function(a){this.M.style.display="block";this.u.style.display="none";Wa(this);fa(Za(this,"mute_survey_option",a));a=document.getElementById("ad-feedback-closing");this.D
e||e>h||(a.j||(a.j=new X(1E3),S(a.j,”tick”,n(function(){var a=””;h<=d&&0=h&&Ya(this);h–},a))),a.j.dispatchEvent(“tick”),0<=h&&a.j.start())},Xa=function(a,b,c){if(c&&window.top&&window.top.postMessage){var d=Ga(c),e=la(d),f="resize-me"==d.msg_type&&"animate"==e.r_str;("ablate-me"==d.msg_type&&e["collapse-after-close"]||f&&!Fa())&&ab(a,b,x(e["secs-to-countdown"],1),x(e.countdown,0),x(e["message-tick"],1),function(){window.top.postMessage(c,"*")})}},$a=function(a,b){ab(a,b,1,a.da,0,n(function(){var a={creative_index:this.H.getIndex(),undo_pingback_url:Za(this,"user_feedback_undo","1")};this.H.fireOnObject("multislot_mute_collapse",a)},a))};Y.prototype.fa=function(){this.D++;this.i.resetAll()};Y.prototype.ea=function(){0

Muslim Cemetery In Green Belt Rejected Again.

Third time unlucky for the applicants behind the ill fated plans to place a muslim burial ground in Catherine De Barnes.

Similar applications by Cemetery Development Services Ltd were turned down twice in 2014 after planners  said the development would blight greenbelt land.

The first application for planning permission for the cemetery was for 7,000 burial plots.This was reduced to 4,000 in the next application.The current proposal is asking for permission to build a 3,333 plot cemetery with storage and toilet facilities and a garden.There would also be space for parking if planning permission is approved.

Once again local residents , and councillors led the opposition.

Cllr  Sleigh (Con, Bickenhill) said: ““We object on the same grounds as before, that this is an inappropriate development in the greenbelt and on the environmental grounds.”My hope is that this will be the end of it – but I fear that it won’t be”.

Cllr Rolf (Con, Bickenhill) said residents are ‘growing tired of the uncertainty.’This cemetery is not welcomed locally or indeed across the borough,” There is this constant uncertainty – people think it has gone away and it comes back again, with very little change.I do not think we need a specific muslim cemetery in Solihull” “I have major concerns about what this will do to the traffic, particularly along the A45. I am very familiar with that road and if there is a funeral, this is likely to cause major disruptions.

The Planning committee refused the application on 17/06/2015 after the Case Officer recommended refusal. The given grounds were :-

1. The proposed cemetery represents inappropriate development within the Green Belt. The proposal causes harm by definition as well as to the character and openness of the locality and Green Belt and the purposes of including land within the Green Belt. The circumstances case advanced to support the development do not clearly outweigh the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm, and do not therefore comprise very special circumstances within the meaning of the NPPF. The proposal would therefore be contrary to guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework and Policy Framework and Policy P17 of the adopted Solihull Local Plan 2013.

2. The proposed development is likely to result in conflict between fast moving traffic along Catherine de Barnes Lane and queuing and slow moving vehicles attempting to access the site which is not considered to be in the interests of highway safety. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy P8 of the adopted Solihull Local Plan 2013.

3. Based on the information submitted it is considered likely that the proposal will have a harmful impact upon groundwater conditions within the area and in the absence of any information to the contrary it may therefore be harmful to the biodiversity value of a nearby SSSI which is known to be populated by a protected species. The proposal is therefore contrary to policies P10 and P11 of the adopted Solihull Local Plan 2013.

Great work everyone , I smell a resubmission.