New community centre and mosque approved despite traffic concerns

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

Plans for a new community centre and mosque have been given the go ahead despite concerns over potential traffic chaos.

Cardiff Council’s planning committee met at County Hall on Thursday, June 6, to approve the proposal, which will see Medina Mosque on Lucas Street in Cathays completely rebuilt.

However, some residents are worried it will exacerbate the issue of parking in the area when there is an event at the 300-capacity site, with one person saying a fence and wall were once damaged by cars turning around on private property.

Co-operated

Chair of trustees at the mosque and community centre, Javaid Iqbal, said the centre co-operated with residents on these particular issues that happened about two years ago.

He also said he is not aware of any issues having happened since.

He said: “I have been to them [residents] a few times and we have invited them to the mosque as well.

“We apologised and they accepted our apology and admitted it wasn’t our fault, but it is still a concern for them.

“We have tried to educate people. We have put signs up, we have put the cones out.”

Parking

Despite this, residents still feel parking is an issue in the area and that this has not been properly reflected in the planning application.

Located on the ground floor of the new building, the community centre element of the site will contain a gym, cafe and library.

The mosque will be located on the second floor. The building will be flat-roofed and topped with two fibre glass domes.

There will also be a basement element to the site which will include 32 parking spaces. Plans show an entrance off Lucas Street and an exit onto Robert Street, and include electric vehicle parking spaces.

Planning committee members were mostly positive about the design of the building, but also raised concerns about parking in the area.

Survey

Cllr Adrian Robson said “there is a lot going for this application”, only to add that he noted a survey undertaken by the applicant showing how people travel to the site was questioned in a representation made to the committee.

The travel survey states a greater percentage of worshippers arrive to the site on foot.

A transport statement from the council in the planning report on the mosque also states: “The updated assessment appears to re-conclude that there would be plentiful and convenient on-street parking available to accommodate vehicle borne demand for prayers on a typical Friday.”

Another member of the planning committee, Cllr Peter Wong, said: “I actually think it is a really great design in terms of the building, but my concerns are the same… particularly around the impact on parking in the local area.”

On the transport statement, he added: “[It] doesn’t take into account for the potential of expected zonal parking at a later stage that a significant part of Cathays is already covered by when it talks about the access to free parking on there.

“I would also like to see conditioned a traffic management plan that looks to support modal shift.”

Spaces

Cardiff Council transport officer Chris Hanson said he counted about 16 available spaces for users coming into the area around Lucas Street when he visited recently.

He also said the site has the potential to attract 56 vehicles, but added extra space for parking could be freed up by the removal of side hoardings on Lucas Street and Robert Street.

Mr Hanson said: “It is something we will obviously look at in detail when we look at what would be the most suitable parking spaces to put in around that area and using the section 106 money that is available to us to supplement the money going towards the forthcoming… controlled parking zone in that area.

“It all needs to tie together and we will make sure we protect the residents and provide some on street space for users of the mosque.”

He said the applicants have provided a travel plan for the development, adding: “Looking forward we will be looking to increase the number of pedestrians… and reduce the number of car-borne journeys.”