By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A GREEN-wedge conservation group has advised proponents of a proposed mosque in Narre Warren North to find another site in Casey.
Rosalie Counsell, convenor of Save the Casey Foothills Association, said the Islamic community was entitled to a place of worship but 365-367 Belgrave-Hallam Road was the wrong location.
“The Islamic community is entitled to have a place to worship.
“(It) would be more appropriately situated within the urban area, readily accessible to the majority of its patrons.
“Surely it would be better for the Saarban group to abandon the purchase of the Narre Warren North site and work co-operatively with council to find a more suitable one.”
Ms Counsell said it was a “sad day for democracy” that her group that legitimately fought to protect the rural landscape was painted as racist and religiously intolerant.
“That the proponents of the Narre Warren North mosque have played this card is disappointing enough, but it is disgraceful that news reports have been so unbalanced, ill-informed and inflammatory.”
Despite vocal pro-mosque protests, Casey Council rejected the project on several planning grounds on 26 April.
Casey Mayor Sam Aziz strongly denied the council was swayed by Islamophobic arguments.
The council found the project’s scale and intensity was out of place with its green-wedge and rural foothill location.
VicRoads had also objected due to its traffic impact, meaning the council was legally required to knock back the application.
Ms Counsell said the proponent, Saarban Islamic Trust, had plans to expand on the site, potentially adding a large school and other “urban-type facilities” to its proposed mosque.
“The mosque alone would have been jarringly out of context in these foothills to the Dandenong Ranges.”
She said development was constrained by stringent planning policies to protect the foothills.
Saarban Islamic Trust spokesman Zain Shah said an altered proposal was being considered, but not a change of site.
Mr Shah said the place-of-worship was urgently needed, with would-be attendees unable to fit in an existing mosque on Belgrave-Hallam Road.
He said there were still plans to expand on the 450-person proposed mosque in about 10 years’ time – taking into account Casey’s future population growth.
Mr Shah said he planned to meet again with the council over the proposal, describing last week’s events as “unnecessary hype” due to being targeted by anti-Islamic protest.
“We have nothing against anybody. We will just follow the rules and regulations of the council.”
