Furious residents have claimed a Liberal Democrat-led council was too scared of being labelled racist after it approved controversial plans to expand a busy mosque in a residential suburb.
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it → claim → suburb
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) Council cited equality legislation as it approved the scheme which states that it must 'advance equality...between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic'.
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who → cite → characteristic
The rapid increase in Muslim worshippers at the mosque has led to community tensions building in Winton, Bournemouth in recent years.
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tensions → lead → years
Neighbours have complained of being woken by early morning prayers and cars clogging up the narrow roads by parking on double yellow lines, across driveways and close to junctions.
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cars → complain → junctions
There have also been noise issues raised about the Imam using a microphone to lead prayers and attendees gathering outside the Jamei Mosque and speaking loudly.
The mounting tensions between some of the homeowners and worshippers have led to verbal altercations between the two parties.
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tensions → raise → parties
So when the mosque submitted plans to increase its capacity by building into the loft, more than 20 residents wrote letters of objection, warning it would make the situation unbearable.
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situation → submit → objection
Pictures show a large number of worshippers gathering outside the building in the leafy residential suburb of the seaside town
The rapid increase in Muslim worshippers to the mosque has led to community tensions to build in Winton, Bournemouth in recent years
Furious residents have claimed a Liberal Democrat-led council was too scared of being labelled racist after it approved controversial plans to expand a busy mosque in a residential suburb
Despite opposition, the council approved the scheme, stating it 'is not likely to unduly impact neighbours'.
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it → show → neighbours
They cited the Equality Act (2010) which states they must 'advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it'.
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who → cite → it
Angry residents have now accused the council of 'taking the easy way out' in order to not be seen to offend the large Muslim community.
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residents → accuse → community
One neighbour said: 'I think the council have ignored us (the residents) because they don't want to be accused of Islamophobia.'
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they → say → Islamophobia
Another woman added: 'I'm disappointed but not surprised that they have got their way.
'
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they → add → way
The council has taken the easy way out, I think because they were worried that if they rejected it they would be seen to be racist.'
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they → take → it
The residents said that when the mosque opened over 20 years ago it was small and there were no noise or parking issues.
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it → say → ?
But a large influx of worshippers in recent years has meant it has outgrown the building, which has a capacity for 600 people.
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which → mean → people
Pictures show a large number of worshippers gathering outside the building in the leafy residential suburb of the seaside town.
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number → show → town
Residents have complained that about the Imam using a microphone to lead prayers and attendees gathering outside the Jamei Mosque and speaking loudly
Neighbours have complained of being woken by early morning prayers and cars clogging up the narrow roads by parking on double yellow lines, across driveways and close to junctions
When the mosque submitted plans to increase its capacity by building into the loft, more than 20 residents wrote letters of objection
It has led to 'mayhem' on the surrounding roads during daily prayers with residents returning home to find their street blocked by attendees spilling outside, it is claimed.
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it → complain → attendees
One resident said: 'I'm worried about safety and I hope I'm proved wrong about that but I fear I won't be.
'
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I → say → that
You see cars parked illegally on both sides of the road and it is an accident waiting to happen.
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it → see → road
'The other day someone who was not looking almost reversed into my car while attempting to park and I had to beep to stop him from hitting me.
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I → look → me
Imagine if it was a child.
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it → imagine → ?
'It is a small place of worship which has outgrown itself for its location as this is a residential area with narrow streets.
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this → outgrow → streets
This extension means even more people and makes things worse.'
Another neighbour said the expansion would make her life a 'nightmare'.
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life → mean → people
The neighbour said she and her husband had repeatedly been blocked in by illegally parked cars at prayer times.
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she → say → times
She said: 'Fridays are going to be a nightmare because of this.
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Fridays → say → this
I already don't like going out on a Friday because I don't know if I will be able to park in my own space.
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I → like → space
'It even happened when I was pregnant and yet when you ask them to move they can be rude and inconsiderate.
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they → happen → them
One person said 'I don't see a sign saying I can't park here,' but it's our private space, why should we have to put one up?
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we → say → one
Another objector, Carly Thomas, said: 'Having lived on an adjoining road for many years the parking for the mosque is already completely out of control.
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parking → say → control
Visitors of the mosque's vehicles completely overwhelm the surrounding streets.
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Visitors → overwhelm → streets
This means that vehicles are parked on curbs, across driveways and dropped curbs and on junctions.
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vehicles → mean → junctions
'Visitors spill out onto the street and often stand around for long periods of time which doesn't allow the public to move safely on the pavement and I have had to walk in the road on many occasions.
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I → spill → occasions
'I have also been shouted at by mosque users when trying to pass.
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I → shout → users
Adding even more users to an already completely overwhelmed area is going to cause many more safety concerns and an accident is most likely to happen.
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accident → add → concerns
In order to address concerns about late night or early-morning prayers disrupting neighbours' sleep, planning officials have imposed an 8am to 10pm curfew for prayers, with no Tannoy use after 7pm.
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officials → address → pm
They have also added the condition that the gravel car park must be paved over to address noise issues.
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park → add → issues
Beverley Gilbert, who has lived in the street for 34 years, said her family have struggled to sleep because of late night and early morning prayers.
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family → live → prayers
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) Council cited equality legislation as it approved the scheme
BCP Council said residents' concerns had been taken on board and traffic wardens patrol the area every day to monitor illegal parking
The mosque plans to increase capacity by building into the loft (planning documents pictured)
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documents → cite → loft
The 62-year-old retail worker said: 'I've got no objection to a mosque being there but they need to abide by the rules the council have put in place.
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council → say → place
'If I was playing loud music I would be expected to stop by 11pm and it would be the same if you were throwing a party.
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you → play → party
'Hundreds of people go in there and with the use of the microphones the sounds are amplified.
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sounds → go → microphones
…and 23 more, not listed.
The Aporia
