Wood Lane Dagenham mosque plans to 'benefit the community'

A planning application was submitted to Barking and Dagenham Council on March 11 to change the use of the post office at 279 Wood Lane to a mosque and community centre.

The applicant is ArRabia Foundation and this would be the group's first permanent geographical location.

A planning document said the proposal "seeks to introduce a community-focused use that responds to local need" at the post office site which has been unsuccessfully marketed for sale for three years.

One of ArRabia Foundation's managers, Alam Chowdhury, told this paper that the building would be used for the wider community's benefit, not just for prayer.

“Early morning prayer will take maybe 10 minutes and afternoon prayer another 15-20 minutes," he said.

"At maximum we’d be using the space for prayer for one hour each day but then you have loads of other time throughout the day.

“We’re thinking we can have an after-school club for children where they can learn the basics of Islamic education and we could have tea mornings for elderly people.

“I have an idea for yoga and fitness activities for people 60-plus and that doesn’t require religion – it just requires the body so we welcome anybody from the community who wants to benefit from it.

“We want to utilise it maximally to benefit the community."

Alam said ArRabia Foundation carried out a local survey before submitting the application and found that around 400 Muslim families live in the area but don't have easy walking access to a community centre.

He said that other locations were considered for the proposal but they weren't as "practical" as the post office in Wood Lane, which has "a few small rooms" that Alam believes would be useful for children's education or exercise.

“This isn’t going to be only a mosque but a place that the community really needs," he said.

“I humbly request people to work with us and support us.

“We want to work with the community and we need to work together and be stronger together.

“This is going to bring us together – I need my children and the next generation to integrate more into the community."

Alam said he is "very passionate about community cohesion" and wants the site to be used "just how a normal community centre is used" outside of prayer time.

He said that during Iftar, when Muslims break their fast at sunset during Ramadan, ArRabia already invites both Muslims and non-Muslims to come together and share food when the fast is broken.

He also said they celebrate Eid in Parsloes Park where they pray together before enjoying a funfair "where all the community can join" and hopes to continue these events.

There is not a clear date for when a decision is expected to be made on the proposal by the council.