A MOSQUE has applied for retrospective planning permission for part of its building on a city industrial estate so it can have extra prayer space.

Kalam Hussain, on behalf of Worcester Jalalabad Muslim Association, has put forward a proposal for retrospective planning permission for part of the mosque on the trading estate in Vincent Road to become a place of worship.

The main part of the building has the proper planning permission, but an adjoining unit, which Jalalabad Association also owns and has used as extra prayer space for the mosque since 2008, does not have the correct planning permission.

Worcester City Council had only originally notified other businesses on the industrial estate and not neighbouring homes about the proposals during public consultation. After it was made aware by the Worcester News that residents had missed out, the consultation has now been extended until April 22.

Objector Jon Jones of Cecil Road said the main entrance for the unit is on the corner of his street and Vincent Road and complained his neighbours had not been included in the public consultation.

Mr Jones said parking in the area was a “nightmare” – particularly every Friday – due to the lack of proper parking. Mr Jones said there were not enough parking spaces to serve the number of people attending services. He said double parking had caused a situation where emergency services could not get down the street causing an “unacceptable” risk for residents.

Around 50 worshippers on average use the mosque for prayers throughout the day, according to Jalalabad Association, five per cent of whom arrive by car and use up the mosque’s seven parking spaces on the industrial estate. Prayers take place between 4am and 5pm every day.

The association said Friday afternoon prayers are busier and attracts around 70 worshippers.

An objection letter from Dynamometer World, which works from two neighbouring units in Three Springs Trading Estate, said access to the estate was secured and gated every evening and patrolled by security guards and allowing the retrospective change of use would make the trading estate unsecure.

The objection said allowing the application would “seriously injure the amenity of adjoining business units... the trading estate and its security” and allowing extra cars and people during funerals would damage existing businesses on a busy trading estate.

A landmark new mosque is set to be built in Stanley Road – less than a third of a mile from the mosque off Vincent Road.