COLCHESTER’S Muslim community can expand their mosque, but have been advised to look elsewhere to serve a growing congregation.

The mosque has been created out of two houses – numbers 2 and 3 Priory Street – with the gardens concreted over to provide space for outdoor prayers.

But the work was done without permission from Colchester Council.

At a planning committee meeting, residents objected to plans to formalise the use of the gardens.

Neighbour Teresa Whiting said the outdoor prayers were “overbearing and detrimental” to her family. She also claimed up to 250 people congregated in the small area, which overlooks her garden.

She said: “It’s not just prayers, as children use the area for recreation, which more than matches the noise of a school playground, rather than a place of worship.

“At every turn, planning permission for this site has been approved after the fact – first the creation of a car park and now the outdoor worship.”

Chowdury Marmut, from the Colchester Islamic Cultural Association, said: “Part of Islam’s teachings is not to cause disturbance to others.

“We have tried to follow that in the nearly 20 years we have used this location. Our prayer is silent and residents of this street are disturbed much more by people coming back from nightclubs or drinking in the Priory grounds, than by us.”

Councillors raised concerns that mature gardens had been dug up by the association without seeking approval.

Andrew Ellis said: “I’m simply not comfortable with the scale of this use in a residential area and can understand residents’ concerns, particularly about the noise of children playing.

“An awful lot seems to have been done here without seeking permission. Our officers have put in a lot of hard work with this application to try to mitigate that.”

Committee chairman Ray Gamble said: “I feel the congregation has outgrown the premises and should be looking for somewhere more appropriate.”

Councillors granted two years’ planning permission for the future use of the building and hardstanding by the Islamic association.

Planting and a fence will be put up between the mosque and neighbouring houses to reduce noise and overlooking.