Residents oppose Issa brothers’ plans for Britain’s largest Muslim cemetery

THE BILLIONAIRE Issa brothers have proposed a Muslim cemetery in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, with 13,500 burial plots on 18.5 hectares in a town of 10,815.

Over 1,000 residents have objected over concerns that the site – including a funeral parlour, prayer halls, and a 400-space car park – will affect the green belt and increase flooding risk, reported The Telegraph.

Zak Khan, Conservative councillor with the Say No To The Cemetery campaign group, told The Telegraph: “More than 1,000 objections have gone in from residents and they are still coming in thick and fast. The cemetery is not suitable and is creating community division. They are burning their legacy by trying to build over local communities that want to retain their identity.”

He added, “It’s one of the last bits of green space, and the Issa brothers have already built massive units nearby. Why do they keep battering this community? There are plenty of other opportunities to build this thing elsewhere. They are not listening. They are making out as if it’s what people want and that’s wrong. Why build something in an area that’s generating such opposition? They are trying to build their empire at the expense of ordinary people.”

The cemetery is the brothers’ latest effort in Lancashire, where they are also constructing a mosque with 95ft-high minarets and a £3m dental surgery, reviving an earlier 85-acre proposal.

Irfan Ali, at the Issa Foundation, said: “Our charity, the Issa Foundation, is committed to supporting the communities we serve, and we are proud to be part of the development of a cemetery in Accrington – a vital community asset that meets an essential need and significantly enhances the current space. We continue to listen, and respect and value the feedback received from all stakeholders throughout this process. In line with our commitment to transparency and thoroughness, professional advisers have carefully undertaken the necessary development considerations. Also, based on our public consultation early this year, we have significantly reduced the scheme to reflect the concerns of residents. The proposed cemetery design and development, along with the necessary reports, have been incorporated into a revised planning application and submitted for council review and approval.”

The brothers, from Blackburn, built a multibillion-pound fortune through a petrol forecourts empire and a £6.8bn takeover of Asda, with Zuber Issa having sold his stake last year while Mohsin Issa remains a minority shareholder.