The Brierfield in Bolton is a historic former pub which was bought several years ago by an Islamic group - the Masjid-e-Salaam Trust - and although it is a Grade II listed building with significant local and historical interest, it has been allowed to deteriorate in the last few years to a point where the Islamic group recently applied for permission to demolish the building and replace it with a mosque.
This application was granted by Bolton Council, seemingly without any due diligence being carried out, as the Islamic group has yet to fully disclose the plans to the council, despite an overwhelming number of objections to the planning application by local residents.
This situation bears a striking similarity to other planning applications around the country, for example in Woodford in East London, where the wishes of local residents were similarly disregarded in favour of the wishes of a local Islamic group to impose a massive mosque upon the area.
The Islamic group behind this latest mosque imposition appear to have manipulated the situation regarding the former Brierfield pub for their own advantage, insofar as they neglected the Grade II listed building over a number of years, and then presented the council with a case where they would be more inclined to allow the building to be demolished - thereby allowing the Islamic group to get exactly what they wanted.
We demand that Bolton council reverse this planning decision and force the Islamic group to restore and maintain this historic Grade II listed building so that it may it regain its rightful place as a respected local landmark.
Take part in our campaign and your message will be sent immediately and automatically to Linda Thomas, the Leader of Bolton Council: