A spacious building that once housed a nursery in Blackburn is set to become a new mosque and madrassah, as proposed by the Muslim Welfare Institute.
The building, formerly known as the Emerald Street Nursery, is located in Emerald Street, Roe Lee, and was originally part of a local mill. The planning application, submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council, includes a proposal for a single-storey extension to accommodate ablution and toilet facilities.
A statement from Urban Future Planning Consultancy explains the site’s history: “Originally, the site served as the offices and gatehouse for the adjacent Vale Mill. It has been used as a nursery for several decades.”
The two-storey brick building has stood vacant since the nursery closed in 2022. The new proposal aims to repurpose the site effectively by converting it into a mosque and madrassah. The building will feature a prayer facility and classrooms for Islamic education.
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The ground floor will include ablution facilities, ensuring the space meets the hygienic requirements for worship. The proposal also aims to align the direction of prayer more accurately with the Qibla and enhance security with a new lobby and entrance hall.
Minimal changes are planned for the building’s exterior. The transformation aims to serve the needs of the local Muslim community, which is significant in Blackburn with Darwen. The area has the third-highest proportion of Muslims among all local authorities in the UK, and the highest outside London.
The consultancy’s statement highlights that similar facilities operate peacefully adjacent to residential properties, with no known issues. The building has long been a community hub as a children’s nursery, and the proposed change of use is expected to maintain its role in serving local residents. The new community worship facility will be accessible on foot from the surrounding residential streets, continuing to support the neighborhood’s needs.
