Years of effort pay off as change to plans eases locals' concerns
The 7,000 Muslims who live in the New Territories are finally to get a mosque - in a six-storey, $100 million development on a 20,000 sq ft site in Sheung Shui.
After battling for years and tailoring their plans to assuage the concerns of other residents, officials have granted permission to build the place of worship. The mosque - to be built using money raised by the Muslim community - will be located next to Tsui Lai Gardens and is due for completion in 2007 or 2008.
It will take up two floors of the complex. The development will also encompass a home for 200 old people, a clinic, and an English-medium secondary school.
Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs Stephen Fisher said yesterday the Muslims had overcome much resistance in the area.
In past years, residents have cited design, traffic disruption, noise and even fung shui concerns as reasons for not building a mosque.