Update on plans for major new mosque near M55

The ‘Brick Veil Mosque’ was given the green light by Preston City Council’s planning committee in February 2022.

However, the scheme – for a plot of land overlooking the Broughton roundabout – where the A6 and M55 meet, close to the M6 – later became the subject of a public inquiry after that decision was ‘called in’ for reconsideration by the then government.

Permission for the 12-metre-tall structure – complete with 30-metre minaret and space for 248 prayer mats and associated worshippers – was finally granted in January 2023 by the then communities secretary Michael Gove.

Some activity has since taken place at the location, but little news of the project’s progress.

However, councillors on the planning committee have now approved a so-called ‘reserved matters’ application, which sets out how the raised site surrounding the mosque, south of D’Urton Lane, will look.

A plaza area outside the place of worship will feature silver grey paving flags and a “monolithic reconstituted stone bench”.

Green landscaping elements include the retention of mature trees at the northern boundary of the plot and new “extra heavy standard beech trees” on the southern border to replace the few remaining Cypress trees in that spot – most of which were removed when the area was used as a compound during construction of the Broughton bypass in the mid-2010s.

A report presented to the committee stated that the city council’s landscape design manager judged that there were “ecological and aesthetic benefits” to planting a species of tree like beech, because it is already found locally.

Committee members were reminded by chair, Cllr Javed Iqbal, that “the principle” of the mosque development had already been established – and the landscaping plans were then approved without debate.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service approached architectural, planning and surveying specialists Cassidy + Ashton, previously listed as the applicant for the mosque, for further details about when substantial building work might begin and the facility would ultimately be completed.

On the reserved matters application, the firm is credited as the agent, with no details provided about the applicant.

The LDRS also contacted an individual understood to have been involved with the scheme, but was advised that that was no longer the case.

The Brick Veil Mosque website last appears to have been updated after final approval was granted in 2023.

The design of the building came from the winning entry in an international architectural competition.