North Somerset Council approves Weston mosque extension

Plans to expand a mosque in Weston-super-Mare have been approved by the local council, allowing the building to extend into neighbouring vacant shops, including the former Changing Lives charity shop.

First designs of mosque expansion in Weston. (Image: North Somerset Council Planning Portal)

The proposal (25/P/0530/FUL), submitted in March 2025, will see the Weston Islamic Education Centre at 66 Palmer Street enlarged to include units at 14 and 16 Waterloo Street. The project also provides for extra access to a morgue within the premises.

North Somerset Council granted permission for the development, subject to 17 conditions. One key requirement states that the morgue must remain secondary to the building’s primary function as a place of worship and education.

It cannot begin operating until the council signs off on details covering refrigeration and ventilation systems, measures to control noise and odour, and arrangements for deliveries and servicing.

Proposed exterior designs for the rear of the newly approved mosque/Islamic centre. (Image: North Somerset Council Planning Portal)

The approval also prohibits the use of external loudspeakers, amplifiers, bells, or Tannoy-style systems at the mosque, including broadcasting the call to prayer outdoors, in order to safeguard the living conditions of nearby residents.

In addition, no new signage, shopfronts, or doors may be installed until detailed design drawings have been submitted to and approved by the council.

Weston-super-Mare has had a mosque in the town since the early 1980’s and in 2010 moved to its current site on Waterloo St.

According to the 2021 Census, there are approximately 816 Muslims in Weston-super-Mare, representing about 0.9% of the population.