Glenhaven mosque has MP Ray Williams juggling residents and multiculturalism
CASTLE Hill state Liberal MP and Multiculturalism Minister Ray Williams is between a rock and a hard place over an application for a large, 24-hour mosque at Glenhaven.
Hills Shire
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CASTLE Hill state Liberal MP and Multiculturalism Minister Ray Williams is between a rock and a hard place over an application for a large, 24-hour mosque at Glenhaven.
Mr Williams publicly refused to take a side over whether he supported the plan or his residents’ pleas to reject the mosque’s construction at the corner of Glenhaven Rd and Larapinta Place.
“NSW is one of the most culturally diverse states in the world, with the opportunity for everyone to practise their faith freely,” Mr Williams said.
“The location of where places of worship are situated is the responsibility of local councils.
“The final approval for places of worship now rests with Independent Hearing and Assessment Panels.
“Through this process, local residents can make individual submissions regarding their views.”
But Mr Williams raised the issue of Glenhaven being a transitional zone in conversations with residents and community groups this week.
He said The Hills Shire Council resolved to send a revised proposal to the Planning Department to block places of worship from the RU6 zone. If accepted, it would not permit the application to proceed.
Mr Williams said he wrote to Planning Minister Anthony Roberts to seek advice on when a decision would be determined.
Submissions for community consultation with the council closed yesterday.
Friends of Glenhaven representative Michael Albrecht said more than 100 residents raised concerns over the project.
“We were overwhelmed with the attendance of last week’s meeting — we had over 400 people,” Mr Albrecht said.
Last week, residents told the Times that concerns around a lack of infrastructure were their main argument behind opposing the application.