Council approves plans to turn church into mosque

Plans to turn a derelict former church in Stoke-on-Trent into a mosque have been approved.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has granted the change of use of the Grade II* listed St John’s Church in Hanley back into a place of worship and community facility.

Earlier plans for internal changes to the church, which would have required listed building consent, have been dropped.

However, a restrictive covenant, which dates back to when the Town Road building was sold by the Church of England, is expected to be a major stumbling block in any conversion.

The building, which dates back to 1788, has not been used as a church since the 1980s. It was last used as an antiques centre and cafe, which closed in 2020.

The decision to approve the change of use has been welcomed as a significant milestone for the community by the applicants, the Zamir Foundation.

"This development marks a positive step towards enhancing community services and fostering inclusivity in Hanley," said spokesperson Zabi Zamir.

He said a number of community facilities would be based at St John's Church, including a museum, a multi-faith library and a women-only gym.

A council report added the Church of England still retained a legal interest in the building, meaning the applicant would need a deed of variation.

Dozens of people contacted the local authority to have their say on the plans, with 34 writing in support of the scheme and 28 objecting.

Some of the comments were not considered appropriate for publishing in the public arena, according to the planning officer's report, due to their inflammatory and discriminatory nature.

The former church was the focus of violent disorder that rocked Hanley earlier this month, as two groups of protesters clashed in Town Road.

Mr Zamir compared the online misinformation that fuelled the nationwide riots to social media claims about graves at St John’s Church being dug up during work last summer.

Council officers found no evidence of graves being disturbed during a visit at the time.

"The new facilities, particularly the museum and multi-faith library, are designed to encourage dialogue and understanding, helping to build stronger connections between different groups in our community," he said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Church Commissioners for England said: "The Church Commissioners is aware that planning permission has been granted for changes to St John’s Hanley.

"We support former churches being used for community purposes, but a restrictive covenant prohibits the use of the building as a place of worship other than as a church, and the Commissioners has explained this to the owner."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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