Published: Thursday, 27th March, 2008 8:00am

Beaming Sutton thanked for mosque support

by Adam Hewitt

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David Sutton (centre) and Mian Saleem (standing) at the Pakistan Community Centre

COUNCIL leader David Sutton was all smiles as he was garlanded for his role in delivering Reading's new mosque.

He visited the Pakistan Community Centre (PCC) in London Road to hear from members of the town's Muslim community, who thanked him for sticking with the project for the long years it has been rumbling on.

At last Monday's cabinet meeting, Reading Borough Council agreed the terms for the new Green Road Islamic centre, and gave fundraisers and trustees a four-year term limit to find the cash and get it built.

It will replace the ageing Alexandra Road mosque in Newtown, but legal and political wrangles held up the agreement, because its members - and those worshipping at the South Street mosque - disagreed about who should get the proceeds of the sale.

Chairman of the PCC, Mian Saleem, helped broker the deal which will see the majority of the money go to members of the Alexandra Road mosque.

Mr Saleem said: "The whole community is very pleased that we've finally got through this and cleared the hurdles, because it's been going on for 10 years now."

The £4m mosque will be built on land granted for free by the borough council, and paid for by fundraising appeals and private donations.

It will include a prayer house, washing facilities, a library and conference room, classrooms for male and female students, a meeting centre for older people and parking for 115 cars - far more than the Alexandra Road site, which was converted from an old house in the 1980s.

The mosque already has planning permission, and will have a 'classical' design with a central silver dome.

Mr Saleem said: "I would like to thank David Sutton and the other councillors who have put such hard work into helping us deliver this new mosque. The whole community is very happy."

Mr Sutton said: "I am delighted that we have finally brought this long story to a successful conclusion.

"I wish the Muslim community every success in raising the necessary funds to build the new mosque. I know they are confident that donors will soon come forward.

"I look forward to the grand opening of another new Reading landmark."