Local objectors to a plan to change a residential house to a mosque in Tralee have appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
In June, Tralee Town Council granted permission to representatives of the Kerry Islamic Cultural Centre for the change of use of a dwelling house at Killerisk to that of a prayer area.
Some 50 residents had objected and they have now appealed the council's decision to An Bord Pleanála. According to the 2002 census, Kerry had 554 Muslims, and 167 were resident in Tralee.
The number of Muslims in Kerry is estimated to have increased substantially since then. They work mainly in the hotel and manufacturing industries in Kerry and north Cork as well as in health services.
However, some local residents complained that the proposal would lead to over-development and to a traffic hazard on what is already one of the town's busiest roads. They argued traffic in the area has become "a nightmare" since the opening of a nearby business and retail centre at Manor West. In a survey conducted in June between 12.30pm and 2.30pm, 2,736 vehicles travelled on the Killerisk road, the residents submitted.
The mosque is proposed for the corner of a byroad, Fortfield Road. Some residents complained that homes would be devalued.
"We might add that, at present, the Cork Muslim Society is seeking more suitable premises as so many complaints were made to the corporation regarding the manner in which the Muslims park their cars . . ." the residents told the council.
They added that since the numbers of Muslims living in Kerry have increased, they could only presume the number of attendees at the mosque would also increase, with consequent increases in traffic. These objections have now been carried forward to An Bord Pleanála.
In response to the town council, Dr Mohammad Altaf Memon of the Kerry Islamic Cultural Centre, at Killeen Woods, Oakpark, Tralee, noted the Killerisk property had parking space for 12 to 15 cars, which meant there would not be parking problems. He said the main rush of cars would be at Friday prayers from around 1pm to 2pm.
Dr Memon said the maximum number of cars would be five to six at any one time. "As we have enough space for car parking, we will not have the same problems as the Cork mosque, which was located in a three-bed semi-detached house which had only one car space," he said.
Representatives were ready to talk to any residential committee to explain and show plans for parking, said Dr Memon.
The council granted permission, saying the development was not out of character with the existing pattern of the area. Conditions attached included a ban on parking on the main road.
In 2002, the town council refused permission for an Islamic cultural centre and offices, a meeting area and a library at nearby Manor West. On another occasion, a proposal to build a two-storey prayer hall was turned down, again because of zoning and traffic problems.