Wednesday July 22nd 2026
Glasgow City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Drew Sandelands
A mosque’s plan to build an extension, create a café and provide bedrooms has been turned down by Glasgow City Council.
Charity Muslim House Ltd wanted to revamp the Islamic centre at Grovepark Place but council planners ruled the application lacked important details.
A similar application to extend the current premises was rejected in March last year.
The applicants wanted to open a café, primarily for the use of the mosque and its congregation, on the ground floor of the current building. A single-storey extension was planned to the rear of the building for use as a kitchen and toilet area for the café.
They also hoped to change the use of offices on the first floor to create four guest rooms, which were to be used by “visiting Imams” or officials from other mosques.
The initial application had mentioned short-term let use but the new bid explained it was “never our intention… that the proposed flat is to be used for commercial short-term letting purposes”.
“We occasionally receive visiting guests from across the World who come to provide support in our activities,” it added. “Some of these individuals will be providing spiritual or pastoral support to our mosque for periods up to three months at a time.”
However, planners decided no information had been provided that demonstrated the “ground is safe and suitable for any potential extension” as a coal mining risk assessment hasn’t been submitted.
They also found the application “failed to explain the design and use of the proposed extension in relation to the existing building” and full details on how the café could “provide suitable ventilation of the kitchen” hadn’t been provided.
Planners added appropriate provisions for management of waste had not been included and an management or operational plan for the guest rooms was required.
A council report stated: “Overall, the proposed guest accommodation use has not been demonstrated as being suitably located, nor that this can be appropriately managed to ensure no disamenity.
“Consideration must also be given to the long-term use of this space as short-stay accommodation, and how to secure this to prevent this space from being utilised as long-term (mainstream) residential letting, or being separated from the planning unit to be sold separately.”
While the plans did include 20 bike parking spaces, the council said a “more suitable location could be found” to provide more security.
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