Britons in a rural Cumbrian town have been left outraged after plans for a multi-million pound 'mega Mosque' got the green light, despite mass protest from residents.
Speaking to GB News, Donna Hill from Dalton-in-Furness declared that locals have been "completely ignored" in regard to the plans.
The South Lakes Islamic Centre charity, led by a group of Muslim doctors working at Barrow’s Furness General Hospital, is behind the project.
The group said the space would cater to the 40 to 50 practising Muslim doctors at Furness General Hospital and their families.
Cumbrian locals have been left outraged as a new 'mega Mosque' is set to be built in their rural town despite mass protest
|GB NEWS
Expressing their outrage at the plans, Ms Hill told GB News: "We're objecting to the multi-million pound mega mosque because we just feel that there is no need for it. With less than one per cent of the constituency being Muslim and over 50 per cent being Christians, we feel it's unfair and that the people of the community have had this forced upon them.
"The locals are concerned and the local community have been ignored, and we feel that it has all been brushed under the carpet and we would like our voices heard."
Hitting back at critics who have branded their protest "racist", a friend of Ms Hill declared it has "nothing to do with race".
He stated: "I'll never understand why we're being labelled racist, it's nothing to do with race. It's about respecting British values, and we have genuine concerns about the teaching of Islam.
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The multi-million pound South Lakes Islamic Centre is getting the green light despite a petition of 70,000 locals against it
|South Lakes Islamic Centre / GB NEWS
"There's also a Catholic primary school 150 yards down the road, and a lot of parents are really worried and really concerned about the kids' safety and the parking and the traffic, and we just feel like we've been completely ignored."
Highlighting that more than 70,000 locals signed a petition opposing the Mosque, Ms Hill told GB News that they are now starting a GoFundMe page to help legally challenge the building plans.
She explained: "We've started a GoFundMe page and we're having a barrister look into where the funds have come from for the Mosque as well, to assess all of the planning and look into the original plans and obviously what is happening now.
"So there are a lot of things that the barrister is looking into."
Ms Hill told GB News that the locals have been 'completely ignored'
|GB NEWS
Outlining their concerns for the building itself, Ms Hill warned that the plans only include 11 parking spaces, meaning there could be traffic and parking issues in the area.
She concluded: "The traffic is a big concern, and the parking is a big concern.
"I believe there's only 11 parking spaces for it as well, so where they're all going to park, I don't know."
In a statement, Westmorland and Furness Council said: "We support people’s right to practise their religion free from harassment and abuse, noting that the prayer centre has followed all necessary procedures to gain planning permission."