12 hours ago
Lake District mosque ‘monstrosity' divides locals
The construction of a Lake District mosque has divided locals.
The South Lakes Islamic Centre was approved after a group of Muslim doctors at the General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness applied for a place to worship since the closest was in Lancaster, 50 miles away.
But tensions have been rising in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, as those for and against the mosque stood opposite each other waving placards and chanting slogans this week.
Construction began in January this year, though plans for the location date back to 2021, with planning approval granted in December 2022 – when 30 objections were raised.
Supporters of the centre in Crooklands Brow, Dalton, held banners that read 'Stop the far Right'. They chanted: 'Say it loud, say it clear, Islamic Centre is welcome here.'
Opposing protesters waved Union and Knights Templar flags, with the two groups shouting across the road during heated exchanges.
Residents have previously voiced their concerns over social media for the construction of the mosque, calling it a 'blot on the landscape'.
One said: 'Absolute monstrosity in the Lake District.'
Another said: 'Absolutely disgusting… total blot on the landscape … totally unwelcome … how on earth has this been passed in planning.'
One other resident said: 'There goes the beautiful Lake District – with a huge building plonked there.'
The South Lakes Islamic Centre charity, led by a group of Muslim doctors working at Barrow's Furness General Hospital, is behind the project.
The centre will be the only masjid within a 50-mile radius, serving both the local Muslim community and visiting tourists.
The group said the space would cater to the 40 to 50 practising Muslim doctors at Furness General Hospital and their families.
It will also be used by 'professionals, business communities and other trade workers who will need basic prayer, burial, teaching and community facilities'.
It is expected to cost around £2.5 million to build.
In late March the representative for South Lakes Islamic Centre alleged there had been delays in the delivery of material to the site off Ulverston Road in Dalton due to negative coverage.
In a YouTube video, a representative from the organisation said work to pour concrete into the foundations has been 'delayed' and that 'local suppliers have refused to deal with us'.
'The concrete, which was supposed to come this week, has been delayed because of the GB News coverage. It's just the challenges we face. It's a difficult area to build, but we are progressing very quickly.'
The spokesman added some quarries have also 'declined' to give stones to the centre.
Construction for the place of worship has continued since the alleged delay.
Mandy Penellum, secretary of Barrow's Trades Council, said the area was 'tolerant and welcoming'.
'I'm from Barrow myself but we're all Furness people, and there has been so much negative coverage about the Islamic Centre. We came together to counter the negativity from the protesters over there,' she said.
'We've always been a welcoming and tolerant community here and people have come out to show that. You only have to look at Furness General Hospital, with staff from all over the world - it's important everybody has a space to worship.'
