There's always room for another mosque in EUrabia

UK: Historic sports club to become mosque

by Emma Davison, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

* Regents Park Mosque:  “Loyalty is only to the Muslim, not to the kaffir [disbeliever]”

CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn an historic sports club site into a mosque have been given the green light by councillors.

Hundreds of people objected to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association’s plan to transform The Pavilion at Fartown into a mosque and community centre.

But yesterday, members of Huddersfield’s planning sub-committee granted permission, agreeing that the association’s plans would breathe new life into the site off Spaines Road and be of huge benefit to the community.

* More on page 2

134 new mosques planned for Germany 

* Update: Jihad Fritz will be charged with terrorism

Muhammad worshippers at Shitlik mosque in Berlin

Currently there are 134 in Germany under construction.   For several years the security and Islam expert Dr. Udo Ulfkotte on behalf of investors, industry and banking is developing scientific studies on the impact of mosques.

Germany:

Since the contents of these studies are the  property of the client the individual results are not allowed to  be published. However, there are figures that are generally valid – and of general interest. Falling property prices in the vicinity of a mosque from the date of application until the start of construction in the national average around 19 percent.  There are regional differences in the further price decline. Real estate prices drop less in southern Germany   than in the north. This price decline makes residential properties in the vicinity of mosques increasingly attractive for Muslim fellow citizens. Ethnic Germans pull out – Muslims pour in. Thus, the area around the mosque gradually becomes a predominantly Islamic residential district. But then again,  investors from Islamic countries may not invest anymore, since  no returns are expected.

Against this background, one of the major investment-funds has the construction of 120 new mosques  in Germany analyzed, including the new Aalener mosque, the Cologne Grand Mosque, the Kassel-Oberzwehrener Mosque and the still in financial difficulties  Munich Mosque. It  is interesting to note that in the vicinity of the new mosques spending on state social benefits increase. Economic private investors pull back, the state enters in its place. From the perspective of affected residents, the owners of real estate in the environment of mosque-building projects are subjected to conditions that can be described as expropriation. 

 

*****

UK Mosque:

Munir Ahmed, president of the Huddersfield branch of the AMA, told the Examiner that he was thrilled with the decision.

He said: “We are delighted, particularly as it was a unanimous decision by the council and they understood exactly what we aim to achieve with the site.

“It will be a great asset, not only for our own members, but also for the wider community and we’re looking forward to creating something that will be so beneficial.

“Our plan is to restore The Pavilion to how it was and actively engage the community. Our aim is to also bring back the sports that were once enjoyed, including cricket.

“We will be starting work on it right away and we’ll be having a big celebration with the community when it’s up and running.”

 

The Pavilion is part of the historic Fartown sports complex, which was home to a cricket ground and rugby pitch. It was last used as a nightclub and venue for parties but has not been open to the public for almost two years, being left to ruin and attracting vandalism.

Objectors voiced a number of concerns about turning the mock Tudor site into a place of worship, including arguments that it should be kept as a sporting venue, that it would lead to an increase in traffic and that such a change of use would lead to the site losing its sense of heritage and historical value.

Geoffrey Marsden, who used to play for the cricket club, said that the land had been gifted to the local community for the use of sports only and that a mosque would change that purpose.

But Mr Ahmed said that the work would not result in the loss of sporting activities in the area and that lots of sports would be reintroduced for the wider community. He said that The Pavilion would be restored, not replaced.

Highways officials said that the mosque was unlikely to generate an increase in traffic. Safety of pedestrians will be improved with the addition of a crossing scheme.

And councillors agreed that the work planned for the site would be a big benefit to the community and for community cohesion.

Clr Christine Stanfield said: “I welcome the development. It’s going to greatly benefit the wider community.”

****

Enteignungsgleiche Eingriffe? 

134 neue Moscheebauten in Deutschland Derzeit gibt es in Deutschland 134 im Bau befindliche neue Moscheebauten oder beantragte Moscheebauprojekte, die das Genehmigungsverfahren durchlaufen. Seit mehreren Jahren schon erarbeitet der Sicherheits- und Islam-Experte Dr. Udo Ulfkotte im Auftrag von Investoren, Industrie und Banken wissenschaftliche Umfeld-Studien über die Auswirkungen von Moscheebauten auf privatwirtschaftliche Investitionsvorhaben. Da der Inhalt dieser Studien das jeweilige Eigentum der Auftraggeber ist, können die Einzelergebnisse hier von der Redaktion nicht veröffentlicht werden. Es gibt jedoch Kennzahlen, die allgemein gültig – und von Interesse sind. Danach sinken die Immobilienpreise im Umfeld einer Moschee vom Zeitpunkt der Beantragung bis zum Baubeginn im Bundesdurchschnitt etwa um 19 Prozent, nach Baufertigstellung gibt es regional große Unterschiede beim weiteren Preisverfall. Dabei ist der Immobilien-Preisverfall im Süden Deutschlands geringer als im Norden. Dieser Preisverfall macht Wohnobjekte im Umfeld von Moscheen immer attraktiver für muslimische Mitbürger. Ethnische Deutsche ziehen im Laufe der Jahre fort – Muslime ziehen zu. So entstehen allmählich überwiegend islamisch geprägte Wohnviertel, in die allerdings auch Investoren aus islamischen Ländern nicht mehr investieren mögen, da dort auch mittelfristig keine Renditen zu erwarten sind. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird derzeit von einem der großen Investment-Fonds die Entwicklung im Umfeld des Baus von 120 beantragten neuen Moscheen in Deutschland analysiert, darunter der neuen Aalener Moschee, der Kölner Großmoschee, der Kassel-Oberzwehrener Kuppelmoschee und der noch in finanziellen Schwierigkeiten steckenden Münchner Moschee, Interessant ist an den bisherigen Studien, dass im Umfeld von Moscheeneubauten die Ausgaben für staatliche Sozialleistungen steigen. Privatwirtschaftliche Investoren ziehen sich zurück, der Staat rückt an ihre Stelle. Aus der Sicht betroffener Anwohner, die Eigentümer von Immobilien im Umfeld von Moschee-Neubauprojekten sind, kommt die behördliche Absegung eines neuen Moscheebau-Projekts subjektiv oftmals einem enteignungsgleichen Eingriff nahe.