Locals object as mosque built on edge of Lake District – ‘Not racist but we don’t need it'

A £2.5 million mosque being built in Dalton‑in‑Furness on the edge of the picturesque Lake District has sparked anger among residents - who insist the town does not need it. The South Lakes Islamic Centre is being built on Crooklands Brow, despite claims there are few local Muslims.

The new building will serve worshippers from across Furness, including 40 to 50 Muslim doctors working at Furness General Hospital - but residents claim the decision was forced through without proper consultation. The nearest existing mosque is in Lancaster, around 50 miles away. The mosque will not have a minaret or loudspeaker. Nevertheless, some objectors say the design is out of keeping with the area, while others are concerned about parking and traffic.

A local, 71, told the Telegraph: "I’m really not a racist, but seeing mosques being built I think sends out the wrong message to illegal immigrants in small boats. What sort of Britain will my grandchildren grow up in?"

One churchgoer added: "The bells are tradition. If they start calling from that new mosque, it would be unacceptable. I’m not racist, but everybody else round here feels the same.”

Another woman said: "There’s already nowhere to park. This will make it worse."

There have also been claims that local firms have refused to work on the site, causing delays to the foundations. One source blamed "bad press" for putting people off.

Police were called in June when a group of anti-Islam protesters arrived at the site waving Union Jacks and Knights Templar flags. Most were thought to have come from outside the area.

They were met by counter-demonstrators chanting: "Say it loud, say it clear – Islamic Centre is welcome here."

Mandy Penellum, of Barrow Trades Council, said: "We’ve always been a welcoming and tolerant community. With staff from all over the world working at Furness Hospital, it’s important everybody has a space to worship."

Westmorland and Furness councillor Matt Brereton, Conservative deputy leader of the council, said: “There is a sizeable Islamic faith community in the wider Furness area. I don’t really see an issue with them having somewhere to celebrate their faith."

However, others said the centre should have been built in Barrow rather than on the edge of the Lake District.

Shahed Saleem, senior lecturer in architecture at the University of Westminster and author of The British Mosque, said many objections were not based on racism but local concerns.

He said: "There’s nothing inherently racist about people in the Lake District voicing opposition to a new mosque. But the emphasis is very much on ‘local’. If someone in Wolverhampton starts complaining, that is racism."

He argued that complaints about parking or building design can sometimes be used by the far-Right to stir up tension.

There are now about 1,884 mosques across the UK, according to MuslimsInBritain.org. In 2015 there were around 1,640.

The 2021 Census showed the Muslim population of England and Wales had risen to 3.9 million – 6.5% of the total – up from 4.9% in 2011.

In a press release issued on June 26, a South Lakes Islamic Centre said: "The South Lakes Islamic Centre project is about service, belonging, and meeting the needs of local residents, many of whom have called this area home for decades. The Islamic Centre will stand alongside churches, gurdwaras, temples and monasteries across the country as part of the shared landscape of British faith and civic life.

"The South Lakes Islamic Centre will not be dragged into culture war narratives. We are focused on building spaces of hope, inclusion, and community resilience, and we will be rolling out initiatives of engagement with our neighbours and friends, as after all, we are a beacon of unity in the South Lakes, rooted in Cumbria for the common good."

Also speaking last month, Imam Qari Asim of Leeds Makkah Masjid said new mosques often serve wider community roles.

He said: "Many now include cafes, gyms and spaces for the local community. Some also build relationships with nearby churches. If more non-Muslims can see these aren’t exclusive places, it helps reduce resistance."

Conservative peer Lord Goodman said: "I don’t think it’s reasonable to object to the building of a new mosque. What is reasonable is to be concerned about what happens in a tiny minority of existing mosques."

Despite the controversy, construction is continuing. Completion is expected before Ramadan in early 2026.