New bid to turn UK pub into mosque - six months after first application refused

Al-Haqq Academy first sought to change the official use of The Peacock, which has been closed since 2020, in Gravesend, Kent last year.

It applied for permission to transform the ground floor of the pub into an academy - offering both religious and community services, including a mosque, prayer hall, food bank and youth club.

However, despite receiving 107 letters of support and just 23 objections, planning officers at Gravesend Council rejected the application in October.

But last Monday (April 28), Al-Haqq Academy submitted another planning application to change the use of the building.

The new scheme looks to convert the ground floor of the pub solely into a mosque, also known as a masjid, for around 65 worshippers.

It also hopes to offer religious instruction, also known as a madrasa, for 30 children.

When Gravesend Council first rejected the plans, officers raised concerns over the opening hours which they claimed they lacked clarity.

This, they said, meant the council could not safeguard the impact on neighbours.

Officers also stated that the plans would see the loss of a public house - which could not be allowed when no evidence had been submitted to show it was "no longer economically viable" as a pub.

But Al-Haqq Academy says its new application addresses the previous reasons for refusal.

It explained it would hold five prayers a day, including the early morning prayer known as Fajr and the late evening prayer known as Isha, if approved.

In summer, Fajr would start at 4:30am and Isha would start at 10:50pm, while in winter, Fajr would start at 7am and Isha at 7:30pm.

On weekdays, the madrasa would be held between 5pm and 7pm, and on weekends, it would be held between 9am and 12.30pm.

In its statement, Al-Haqq Academy said that Islamic tradition promotes walking to the mosque - meaning there would be minimal disruption in the area.

It also said that places of worship are not usually "noisy" - and typically present less issues for residents than pubs.

The planning documents argued: "It is considered that the proposed change of use to the masjid and madrasa and their capacities would result in an impact that is no greater than that of its previous use as a public house.

"Places of worship have less impact on amenity than public house uses, which present a particular set of issues to local residents and the police and emergency services."

In response to the council officer's concerns on the viability and loss of a pub, the applicant explained that the site had been on the market since 2020 until it was sold to them in 2024.

It said the owners of The Peacock were "struggling" to sell it as a boozer - and had had no interest from potential operators.

Therefore, they were "forced to look at alternative buyers".

The applicant also argued that the use change would not cause an under-provision of public houses, as there are nine alternatives less than a 10-minute walk away.

They added: "The use of the premises as 'a building of social infrastructure' is not being lost.

"Rather, it is being replaced by another building of social infrastructure that serves the local community."

Al-Haqq Academy, which is based in Gravesend, also explained that there is a "significant under-provision" of Muslim prayer facilities in the area.

It said that according to the 2021 census, there are 3,326 Muslims living in the borough, but there are only two mosques: the Central Mosque and Shah Jalal Mosque.

These, the charity said, are both "operating beyond capacity", causing issues with overcrowding and traffic.

The statement added: "There is a justified locational and functional requirement to provide a place of worship that meets the needs of the local Muslim community.

"It is a sustainable development which will secure the long-term social and cultural needs of the place of worship in the community and reduce the need for travel elsewhere."

At the time of writing, four letters of support had been received and no objections had been lodged.

A decision on the new application is expected by June 23.

In September, Al-Haqq Academy submitted a separate application to convert the first and second floors of the former pub into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO).

These plans were approved by councillors at a planning meeting - after also receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from neighbours.

They will see the existing four-bedroom flat converted into a five-bedroom home - complete with two bathrooms and a kitchen.