SW mosque in limbo
The South West will have to wait another couple of years before it gets its first mosque, after a delay by the Dardanup Shire Council forced original plans to be cancelled.
At Wednesday night’s meeting, councillors deferred making a decision on the mosque until the March meeting to allow more time for surrounding residents to be informed, after a heated public question time saw shire president Mick Bennett answer numerous questions from angry residents opposing the house of prayer.
The deferral in the decision has meant the owners of the Coleman Turn land are no longer willing to wait for a decision and have cancelled the contract with the Islamic Association of Bunbury.
Association representative Dr Fahad Ashraf said at a meeting on Friday night the association decided the project needed to start again.
“Unfortunately the owner of the land is not happy to give us an extension on our due diligence so this plan is over, ” he said.
“We have to start the process all over again, which will take more than one and a half years.
“It is too much of a risk to put the money into buying the block as there is a chance we might not get the approval.”
Dr Ashraf said the failed plan had cost the association about $20,000.
“We will continue to push for a mosque but now we are back to square one, ” he said.
“If other religions can construct a community centre to practise their religions why can’t we?”
Shire president Mick Bennett said it was disappointing to hear the association’s results.
“It is disappointing for the Islamic community, ” he said.
