The billionaire Issa Brothers, who bought an Asda stake recently, have revealed plans for Europe’s largest Muslim cemetery.
To the west of Blackburn in Lancashire is the Issa Memorial Garden. It will contain 35,000 burial sites. The area covers 40 football pitches.
The new site is larger than the existing largest Muslim cemetery, The Garden of Peace in East London, opened in 2002. It holds 10,000 plots and all of them are currently occupied.
In part, due to the increase in Covid-related deaths, the Issa Foundation was created by billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa.
The self-made billionaire Issa brothers, whose started out cleaning toilets and bought up Asda last year, have won planning consent for a £5 million mosque in their home town of Blackburn
These objections were made by hundreds of residents, who cited concerns regarding congestion and wildlife on the greenland area where the cemetery would go up.
Hyndburn Council also requested additional information about the proposal from more than 2800 individuals.
According to the Issa Foundation, they released this statement:[The]The North West has become a critical area for Muslim burial plots, an issue made even more difficult by Covid 19.
“The Muslim community is concerned about the proposed proposal and considers it a strategic matter for the North West.
More than 200 protestors gathered against the plans to build a cemetery at the beginning of November before they were published.
One resident spoke out during the meeting.
“The roads already are congested in the morning, and this will make it worse.”
Issa and his billionaire brothers have revealed plans to build Europe’s largest Muslim cemetery
It would include 35,000 burial spots. The Issa Memorial Garden, which would be located to the west and Blackburn on an 84-acre site would cover the same area as 40 football pitches.
“People walk dogs on this land, and we also want to preserve the wildlife that lives there.”
Hyndburn Council has received the application from the foundation for the construction of the cemetery. It is located near Oswaldtwistle on Blackburn Road.
According to the documents, 663 spaces are planned for parking along Blackburn Road’s northern border.
This new site is just up the road from the billionaire Issa brothers’ £100million Frontier Park complex, which has a service station, several food outlets, and a ‘Hampton by Hilton’ hotel.
According to the planning application, the site for the cemetery is on land that has not been developed and lies within the greenbelt.
The site has an undulating terrain, and the levels rise steeply to the south.
According to The Issa Foundation, extensive landscaping will be necessary in order for the cemetery to be built.
Additionally, it noted that “levelling” is necessary in order for level graves to be formed and that structures to withstand the elements will be required on the South side of Southernmost Road.
The site will have a single-story administration building that will house the main administrative office. It will also contain the ‘funeral Parlour (Ghusal where the body can be washed),’ prayer pavilions consisting of condolence and prayer rooms.
The construction of a two-storey staff and general maintenance and equipment store buildings will continue.
Further, the planning statement states that “The buildings will be constructed primarily from natural stone with some areas of timber cladding for staff/maintenance building.”
Their overall look is simple and contemporary. They also have a quality architectural finish that respects local characteristics.
“The buildings together have an interior floorspace total of 1,446sqm, excluding the storage compound.
The site also states that the plants will be located as near as possible to its northern border to minimize their visual impact.
It states that the site lies near three Grade II-Listed buildings, Knuzden Hall Farmhouse (to the south) and Stanhill Hall (to the south).
“The Stanhill Conservation Area’s South Eastern border is also adjacent.
It concludes that, despite some harm being done by two Grade II listed buildings, the substantial public benefits offered mitigate this.
Currently, there are two main cemeteries within the region: Pleasington (Blackburn) and Burnley Road (Accrington).
This new initiative is targeted at East Lancashire Muslim communities and will be of benefit to them for the next 50-100 year, according to The Foundation.
In 2016, The Issa Foundation, a non-profit charity was founded.
All arrangements regarding transport for the dead will be covered by the services they provide.
The Janaza will be picked up from their home or hospital, transported to the Ghusal (washing), and shrouded. Finally, the last transport will take place to the cemetery.
According to Islamic tradition, the burial plots should be oriented towards Qibla – Mecca.
The Muslim Community will continue to receive funeral services through the company’s profits. Neither the directors nor the volunteers are going to be financially benefited from this service.