UK: Conversion of pub to mosque approved even though mosque flouted law

THE conversion of a derelict inner-city pub into a mosque, carried out without planning permission, has been given the green light by councillors.

The Planning Committee was furious that owners of the former Bulls Head pub in Birchfield Road, Handsworth, had carried out the building work and extensions before securing their approval.

But they decided that the mosque was better than a boarded-up pub and reluctantly agreed to allow it.

Committee member Coun Margaret Waddington (Con, Sutton Trinity) said: “They know they had to have planning permission before they did anything, and yet here we are looking at an application retrospectively.

“I would not be inclined to support this for that reason, but looking at the site, the mosque would be better for local people than a derelict building attracting vandalism and anti-social behaviour.”...

There should not be a mosque in the US at all.