Revised plans to turn a former Victorian pub into a mosque on a “trial basis” have been recommended for approval.
Charity Al-Haqq Academy initially sought to change the use of The Peacock, on the junction of St Andrew’s Road and Peacock Street, in Gravesend, last year.
The venue closed its doors for good on January 1 last year and the charity, which purchased the pub, applied for permission to transform the ground floor into a religious academy with community services, including a prayer hall, a food bank, a youth club, and a mosque.
However, despite receiving 107 letters of support to 23 objections, Gravesham council planning officers rejected the application in October.
In their report, they said the scheme would see the loss of a public house, and no evidence had been submitted to show it was “no longer economically viable” as a pub.
They also raised concerns over the opening hours, stating they lacked clarity and could not safeguard the impact on neighbours.
But on April 28 this year, Al-Haqq Academy submitted another planning application to change the use of the building, which it said addressed the previous reasons for refusal.
The new scheme looks to convert the ground floor into a mosque, also known as a masjid, for around 65 worshippers and religious instruction, also known as a madrasa, for 30 children.
The planning application is set to be discussed at a Gravesham council planning committee meeting on Wednesday (July 30).
It has been recommended that the committee grant temporary planning permission, subject to conditions.
The summary report states: “The proposals will have no detrimental impact on the surrounding townscape, character of the area, parking and highway safety.
“The scheme takes into account the history of the site and wider context of the area.”
Although it could accommodate 65 people at one time, the charity said in practice this would not be the case as some prayer times are less well attended than others.
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.
The submitted planning, design and access statement explained the timings would depend on the season, with Fajr starting at 4.30am in summer and 7am in winter and Isha at 10.50pm and 7.30pm.
The madrasa would be held between 5pm and 7pm on weekdays and 9am and 12.30pm on weekends, if approved.
The statement also said that Islamic tradition promotes walking to the mosque, so there would be minimal disruption in the area and that places of worship and not usually “noisy” or impact the amenity of residents.
The planning documents added: “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 the site had been on the market since 2020 until it was sold to them in 2024.
According to the submitted viability assessment, the owners of The Peacock were “struggling” to sell it as a boozer and had no interest from potential operators, so they were “forced to look at alternative buyers”.
The applicant argues the use change would not cause an under-provision of public houses as there are nine alternatives less than a 10-minute walk away, such as the Forrester’s Arms and Waterloo Tavern.
The organisation, which is based in nearby Queen Street, also said that there is a “significant under-provision” of Muslim prayer facilities in the area.
The planning, design and access statement explained that, according to the 2021 census, there are 3,326 Muslims living in the borough.
However, there are only two mosques, the Central Mosque and Shah Jalal Mosque, which are said to both be “operating beyond capacity”, which has caused issues with overcrowding and traffic.
In total, the application received 249 comments of support and 66 objections.
One person said it would be a “valuable addition” for the Muslim population as well as the wider community.
Another added that it would have the “potential to foster intercultural understanding, promote social cohesion and charitable and educational initiatives.”
But those objecting raised fears over traffic, parking, and noise.
Others stated that the pub had been of “cultural significance” to the community, with another adding: “The pub has a historical placement within Gravesend which would be stripped of its identity”.
To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here.
The summary report states that the “focal point of reassessment” would be making sure the amended application overcomes the previous reasons for refusal.
It notes that the loss of the pub as a community facility would be “unfavourable” but states that replacing it with a place of worship would bring benefits to the community.
‘The public house is shown to be an unviable use on this site…’
It adds: “Sufficient evidence has been provided to justify the loss of the public house in this location.
“The public house is shown to be an unviable use on this site, as evidenced by its disuse, previous failed marketing strategy, and the statistical data showing the decline in the number of public houses.”
In September, a separate application from Al-Haqq Academy was approved to convert the first and second floors of the former boozer into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO).
It will see the existing four-bedroom flat converted into a five-bedroom home with two bathrooms and a kitchen.
The plans were approved by councillors at a planning meeting after also receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from neighbours.
Al-Haqq Academy is a charity that offers services such as a food bank, counselling, prayer sessions, and a youth club for everyone.
To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here.
Plans to turn land at Milton Place in Gravesend into an 85-home development are also set to be discussed at the same meeting, and have been recommended for approval.
The scheme would see the brownfield site, which was formerly a BT storage depot, redeveloped to provide “much-needed” affordable housing for those on Gravesham council’s register.
Proposals to turn a former builders’ yard in Lower Range Road into a three-storey block of flats are also to go before councillors.
They too have been recommended for approval, subject to conditions.
