Havering Islamic Cultural Centre (HICC) hosted a drop-in event at The Brewery shopping centre yesterday (February 27) to gather residents’ views on its plans for the new facility in South Street.
The proposed site for the development – the former Smokey’s Shack at 222-226 South Street – will be a relocation of HICC’s current site in Waterloo Road.
It comes after Havering Council made a compulsory purchase order of the Waterloo Road site as part of the Bridge Close regeneration project.
Boards with details of the mosque proposal were set up in The Brewery’s foyer (Image: Charlotte Anderson)
As part of the drop-in, boards detailing the proposals for the new mosque were set up in the foyer of the Brewery, and members of HICC and those involved in the plans were on hand to answer questions.
Tahir Sharif, leader of HICC’s development committee, said the event was “much busier than he thought it would be”.
Mr Sharif told the Recorder: “It’s been great – there’s been lots of interest, so hopefully we’ve had some positive engagement with the community.
“We’ve spoken to loads of different people, both pro and anti, but it’s been good to get everyone’s views on board.
“This is a process, and it’s early stages yet really.”
As part of the compulsory purchase order of HICC’s current site, Havering Council is legally obliged to pay for an “equivalent like-for-like” site.
But, the cost of the South Street development is expected to exceed the like-for-like value by £4.5 million – which the HICC will fundraise for themselves.
READ MORE: Havering Council backs HICC relocation to South Street, Romford mosque
Pervez Badruddin, one of the HICC trustees, told the Recorder that at the beginning they “didn’t want to leave” the Waterloo Road centre.
“We told the council in the beginning that we don’t want to go – you will have to work around us,” he said.
“But if you want us to move, we want somewhere very close [to the current site].”
He called the South Street site “excellent” because “people don’t have to go far to get there”.
Mohamad Rafi, part of HICC’s executive committee, added that the building is in an area where there is good transport links.
“People will be able to come in on the bus, rather than bringing their cars in,” Mr Rafi said. “So that way there will be less hassle for people living in the area.”
Residents and stakeholders can share their views on the proposal until March 14 via www.hicc.your-feedback.co.uk or mail@your-feedback.co.uk.
