A MUSLIM place of worship will be allowed to open at 4am as part of a one-year trial to establish whether early morning prayers disturb residents in the area.

The South Essex Islamic Trust (SEIT) was given the go-ahead to convert Barge Inn in Vange into “a place of worship and a community centre” last year.

The South Essex Islamic Community Centre, which is now open, was initially granted permission to open from 7am – 11pm.

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The trust has secured permission to open from 4am – 12.30am, to accommodate early and late prayer sessions, for a one-year trial lasting until October 2023.

Basildon Council’s planning committee voted by four votes to three to approve the change, despite council officers recommending the committee refuse the application.

Saima Rafiq, of the SEIT, told the meeting: “Our intentions were to always have those longer hours to accommodate the worshiping times of first prayer and last prayer.

“Due to constant delays and financial pressure we were under at the time, we thought it was best to persevere with securing planning permission first.”

The trust argued the proposition would not be more detrimental to residents’ lives than the pub had been previously – which had closed at 1.30am – and that the noise levels would be less than that of the pub.

Ibrahim Kadir, also of SEIT, added: “We are supposed to pray five times a day. One of which starts before sunrise, and this is a command from the Quran.”

In Islam, morning prayers must occur before sunrise. The trust has provided a timetable which shows the centre will only need to open at 4am from April – August, in January and December morning prayer will occur at 6am.

 Councillor David Dadds, who voted to approve the trial, said: “I have no concerns about the evening extension, we have just had an application for a pub elsewhere in the borough opening until 2am which was allowed.

“I can assure you people coming and going form a pub make a lot more noise than those going to a place of worship.”