A NEW “landmark” mosque will be built in the city after plans were backed by councillors.

Worcester Muslim Welfare Association (WMWA) members were successful in their bid to build a new 800-capacity mosque as well as apartments and a sports centre on the old Stanley Road School car park in Worcester.

The city council’s planning committee approved the plans at a meeting in the Guildhall today (Thursday, December 13).

WMWA wants to move its mosque from Tallow Hill to Stanley Road to cater for its growing number of worshippers.

The new mosque would accommodate for around 800 worshippers, compared to 500 at the existing Tallow Hill building, and would also be open seven days a week for prayers throughout the year.

Concerns were raised over congestion and parking in Stanley Road fuelled by the increase in worshippers but WMWA said most visitors to the mosque would travel their on foot and the number of cars would not necessarily increase.

Councillor Roger Berry said the mosque was a “landmark scheme” for the city and did not think allowing it to be built would make traffic and congestion significantly worse in the area.

Resident Phil Clarke, of nearby Byfield Rise, showed the council’s planning committee dash cam footage illustrating what he saw as a “terrible” parking problem around Stanley Road and Tallow Hill.

Mr Clarke said the mosque was the “wrong development” and in the “wrong location.”

Cllr Marc Bayliss, leader of the city council, said the mosque would be a “beautiful addition” to the city and was a “good thing” for Worcester – but was disappointed that vehicular access to the site from Midland Road was not explored by the highways department.

An officer from the county council’s highways department told the planning committee that switching access from Stanley Road to nearby Midland Road was “undeliverable” and that the plans made in the application were appropriate.

The council’s highways department could not recommend Midland Road as a more appropriate option because it was not part of the original application.

City council planners said the noise from worshippers entering and leaving the mosque would be at an acceptable level and Worcestershire Regulatory Services raised no objections to the plan and said noise would not "adversely" impact neighbouring residents.

Of the 255 responses from neighbours, more than half objected to the plans with 76 backing the mosque.

Objections to the plans included concerns over increased congestion on surrounding roads, noise during and after construction and the scale of the design, as well as whether a bigger mosque was needed in the city.

Mayor of Worcester Cllr Jabba Riaz, who represents the Cathedral ward where the mosque would be built, said concerns over parking were valid as congestion was a “nightmare” in the area.

Cllr Alan Amos said he liked the design of the mosque but could only support the application if concerns over traffic and congestion were addressed.

He said the council should be putting the concerns of existing residents first when determining planning applications.

Cllr Amos said he felt like he was living in a “parallel universe” because as a cabinet member for highways he dealt with congestion in Worcester on a daily basis but reports presented to the planning committee did not show the full extent of the problems in Stanley Road.

Cllr Roger Knight said the mosque would give the area an “incredible uplift” but was also concerned about parking and traffic flow.

Cllr Jo Hodges said there was an “unquestionable need” for a bigger mosque.

The overall development, including the sports centre and apartments, is expected to cost around £5 million.

The application was approved by nine votes to one.