PLANS to transform a 200-year-old pub into an Islamic community centre and place of worship are set to get the green light.

Councillors have been recommended to grant plans for the Barge Inn, in High Road, Vange, approval at a meeting next week.

The plans have been submitted by the South Essex Islamic Trust.

However, one councillor has raised fears that not enough parking has been included despite plans being updated.

Twice the trust’s plans for the pub have been rejected over traffic fears and a lack of parking.

The latest plans promise a total of 22 parking spaces on site – which council officers have deemed acceptable, recommending planning permission is granted.

“Initial refusals were based on parking, and I know that parking is a big issue in Vange,” said Vange councillor Yetunde Adeshile.

“There is another Islamic group that meets on Vange Hill Drive and every Friday there are a lot of parking issues when they meet for prayer.

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“The car park at Vange Hill is not big enough and I’m not sure that the spaces proposed at the Barge Inn will be enough to accommodate the people who come to pray.”

The trust, which currently holds meetings at the Kingswood Pre-School building, plans to use the site for prayers throughout the week – prayer times vary over the course of the year to reflect the rising and the setting of the sun.

The trust estimates that prayer sessions during the week will average a turnout of approximately 10 people but on Fridays at 1 – 2 pm that number may swell to 100.

While, the proposed Barge Inn car park will also offer a further 22 bike lock spaces, the combined spaces are well below that figure.

The former pub, which dates back to the early 19th century and has stood empty since closing in 2015, was purchased by the trust in 2019.

The trust have proposed that the building would also be made available for use by the wider community as well as for social and support groups.

Plans to turn a former Vange pub into an Islamic centre and place of worship look set to be approved.

However, one councillor has raised fears parking facilities will be stretched beyond their capacity at peak hours.

Basildon Council’s planning committee will meet to discuss The South Essex Islamic Trust’s proposals to convert the Barge Inn into a community centre and place of worship next week.

Twice the trust’s plans for the High Road pub have been rejected over traffic fears and a lack of parking.

The latest plans promise a total of 22 parking spaces on site – which council officers have deemed acceptable, recommending planning permission is granted.

“Initial refusals were based on parking, and I know that parking is a big issue on Vange,” said Vange councillor Yetunde Adeshile.

“There is another Islamic group that meets on Vange Hill Drive and every Friday there are a lot of parking issues when they meet for prayer. The car park at Vange Hill is not big enough and I’m not sure that the spaces proposed at the Barge Inn will be enough to accommodate the people who come to pray.”

The trust, which currently holds meetings at the Kingswood Pre-School building, plans to use the site for prayers throughout the week – prayer times vary over the course of the year to reflect the rising and the setting of the sun.

The trust estimates that prayer sessions during the week will average a turnout of approximately 10 people but on Fridays at 1 – 2 pm that number may swell to 100.

While, the proposed Barge Inn car park will also offer a further 22 bike lock spaces, the combined spaces are well below that figure.

The former pub, which dates back to the early 19th century and has stood empty since closing in 2015, was purchased by the trust in 2019.

The trust have proposed that the building would also be made available for use by the wider community as well as for social and support groups.