I attended the public consultation for a new Ismaili community center in the old Worcester Park tavern (pictured) last night. The development has been branded a ‘mosque’ by the Worcester Park blog and in the local Sutton Guardian but that is not what is being proposed, according to the applicants.
The site is just outside Sutton borough boundaries so the plan will be decided by Kingston Council but concern and interest extends over the boundary, not least because it is only a few short months since Worcester Park residents were in uproar over a plan to convert the old Bank Chambers on Green Lane into a mosque on the Sutton side, which was eventually turned down by councillors earlier this year.
I was not on the rota for that particular Development Control Committee but did read the papers and attended as a member of the audience. Personally I thought that application was reasonably strong and if I had sat on that meeting would have probably voted in favour. Residents concerns focussed on parking, and there is no doubt that Worcester Park suffers from traffic congestion, however there was a Waitrose car park across the road with free parking outside shopping hours.
What really concerned me about the Green Lane situation, however, was the posters on every other shop window. While there was a reference to the parking issue at the bottom of the poster in small font-size, that was below one huge point-sized word: “MOSQUE.” It was indicative of an opposition fueled not merely by genuine fears of additional parking pressure but of a general – and unjustified – fear of a mosque populated by Muslim worshippers.
My suspicions were confirmed by the audience reaction at the Development Control Committee. I felt that an application that was, on balance, reasonable was sunk by a combination of large community opposition and the failure of the applicants to ‘sell’ their case both in the run-up to the decision and at the meeting itself. Language, or certainly a strong ‘foreign’ accent, was also an issue at the committee as well as the fact that the applicants became quite upset at the disruptive noises from the audience that greeted their every statement.
The Worcester Park tavern proposal is quite different. Firstly, parking does not appear to be an issue as the tavern has 54 spaces in their large car-park, more than enough to accommodate most events. And secondly because the Ismaili community have been conducting a quite effective charm offensive, of which last nights’ consultative meeting – hosted by them at the tavern – was part. They have been proactive in responding to reader comments on the Worcester Park blog and on the Sutton Guardian threads, which the Green Lane applicants failed to do.
I felt that the consultative meeting probably went some way to dispelling a degree of concern from local residents. There was a mixed reaction with some residents engaging constructively asking questions and having many fears dispelled. Others, however, appeared implacably opposed on principle. I observed discussions based on the assumption that the attendees were ‘locals’ but the Ismaili community were not, a view that appeared unchanged by protestations that many Ismaili did in fact live and work locally. Others chose not to take issue with the application itself but nit-picked about issues such as the ownership of the tavern site.
However overall I suspect that probably the majority of attendees went away if not entirely convinced at least having some concerns allayed and with a great deal more knowledge about what was being proposed and indeed about the Ismaili community in general.
We will have wait and see what happens at Kingston’s planning meeting. Personally, it appears to me that as well as renovating a run-down former pub while keeping all its’ features, the plan will involve considerably less usage than if it was a successful pub and would close its’ doors much earlier (9.30pm as opposed to 11.30pm). The case for the community center is much stronger than Green Lane and the Ismaili’s have tried much harder to engage with local residents, so I would be very surprised if it is rejected. But that’s up to Kingston councillors and I suppose, ultimately, it’s none of Sutton’s business, although I will be observing the process.
By Lester Holloway @brolezholloway
