The billionaire Issa brothers have ignited significant debate with their proposal to establish Britain’s largest Muslim cemetery—a vast 45-acre site in Lancashire. This ambitious project, named the Memorial Garden, is designed to accommodate 12,250 burial plots alongside a funeral parlour and prayer halls.
The cemetery is planned for land near Oswaldtwistle, west of Blackburn, a small town with a population of just over 10,800. If approved, it would surpass the Gardens of Peace in East London, currently the largest Muslim cemetery in the UK with 10,000 burial plots across 21.5 acres.
The proposal, submitted by Zuber and Mohsin Issa, co-owners of businesses like Cooplands and Leon, and previously linked to Asda, has faced strong opposition. Residents have voiced concerns over potential traffic congestion, disruption to local wildlife, and the development of greenbelt land.
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An earlier, more extensive proposal for an 85-acre cemetery featuring 35,000 burial plots, multiple pavilions, and 752 parking spaces faced similar backlash and was withdrawn earlier this year. The revised plan reduces the project’s scale, including a single pavilion complex with prayer halls, funeral parlour, condolence rooms, and 356 parking spaces.
Local resistance to the project remains strong. A community group, Say No to the Cemetery, has garnered thousands of supporters and launched a fundraising campaign to enlist expert help in challenging the application.
This isn’t the first time the Issa brothers have faced local opposition. Earlier this year, plans to construct five luxury mansions for their families in Blackburn drew criticism, further cementing their controversial reputation in the area.
The cemetery application is currently under review and is expected to be presented to the planning committee early next year.
The full story offers more details on this contentious issue.
