13-Storey Albanian Mosque Plans: Queen’s Park London 2026

Key Points

• Plans have been submitted for a 13-storey UK Albanian Muslim Community and Cultural Centre in Queen’s Park, north-west London.
• The proposal would replace the organisation’s existing two-storey building, a former pub on Carlton Vale.
• The proposed tower would include prayer halls, classrooms, a café, restaurant space, offices, a function room and a mortuary.
• Residents have raised concerns about the height, appearance, traffic, parking, noise, congestion and possible loss of daylight.
• Critics say there are already 15 mosques within a three-mile radius of the proposed site.
• The planning application has attracted 238 public comments, with reports indicating that most objections oppose the scheme.
• Local Conservative councillor Sapna Chadha said faith communities should have suitable places of worship but described the 13-storey proposal as exceptionally large.
• Architect Ayad Al-Tuhafi said the design had been set back from street level to reduce its perceived mass and respect the neighbouring Baptist church.
• The UK Albanian Muslim Community and Cultural Centre said traffic, noise and infrastructure had been considered throughout the design process.
• The proposal has not yet received planning permission.

Queen’s Park (West London News) August 6, 2026 – Plans for a 13-storey mosque and community centre in north-west London have triggered opposition from residents who say the development would be too large for the area and could intensify existing problems with traffic, parking, noise and pressure on local infrastructure. The proposal, submitted to the council for planning consideration, would involve demolishing the current two-storey building on Carlton Vale and replacing it with a high-rise religious and community facility.

Why are residents objecting to the proposed development?

The main objections relate to the scale and potential impact of the proposed building rather than the right of Muslims or any other faith group to worship. Residents have argued that a 13-storey tower would dominate the surrounding streetscape and would be out of proportion with the mainly residential character of Queen’s Park.

According to reporting by Michael D. Carroll of the Daily Express, critics have pointed to the presence of 15 mosques within a three-mile radius of the site. Their argument is that the existing religious facilities raise questions about whether a building of this scale is required in the neighbourhood. The planning application had received 238 comments, with most reportedly opposing the proposal.

One unnamed resident quoted in reports said it was difficult to understand the local need for a 13-storey mosque when there were already 15 others within three miles. The resident also argued that the proposed facility could serve hundreds or potentially thousands of people during prayers, weddings and funerals, creating additional pressure on roads and parking spaces.

Other residents have raised concerns about the building’s possible operating hours. Angela Gluck, quoted by GB News, said the issue was not the religious purpose of the development or the religious groups involved. Instead, she focused on the potential effect on existing residents if the building operated for much of the day and night, including concerns about traffic and reduced daylight.

The proposed tower would stand beside West brent/kilburn/">Kilburn Baptist Church. Planning images reportedly show the new building rising substantially above the church, prompting concerns that it could overshadow or visually dominate the neighbouring place of worship.

One resident described the surrounding roads as narrow and already congested. Another referred to traffic around a mosque near Regent’s Park, saying nearby roads could become extremely busy on Fridays. These comments represent residents’ concerns and are not an official assessment of the proposed development’s transport impact.

What would the proposed mosque and community centre include?

The proposal would provide several forms of religious, educational, charitable and community accommodation. The plans include three floors of prayer space, communal areas for worship, a function room and facilities intended to support funerals.

The proposed building would also contain classrooms for children, a ground-floor café and restaurant space. Offices and other areas for charitable and cultural activities are included in the scheme. Earlier architectural information about the project also described multipurpose facilities, prayer halls for men and women, ablution areas and a mortuary.

The development is intended to replace the organisation’s existing premises, which occupies a converted former pub. The existing two-storey building would be demolished to make way for the proposed tower.

The project was designed by Ayad Al-Tuhafi Architects. Architects’ Journal reported in 2024 that the proposal involved replacing the existing building on a 513-square-metre site at the junction of Carlton Vale and Rupert Road. That report described the proposed centre as combining religious space, community facilities and offices, with additional café, prayer hall, multipurpose hall and restaurant accommodation.

The architectural plans propose orientating the prayer spaces towards the Kaaba in Mecca. This follows the Qibla, the direction Muslims face during prayer.

The project’s supporters say the building would provide a purpose-built facility for a community that currently uses premises that were not originally designed as a mosque and cultural centre. The organisation has occupied the site since 1996, according to the Daily Express, and says it has provided worship, education, charitable assistance and community services to local residents.

What has the community centre said about the objections?

A spokesman for the UK Albanian Muslim Community and Cultural Centre said traffic, noise and infrastructure had been important considerations throughout the design and planning process.

“The proposed redevelopment represents a significant investment in local community infrastructure, providing a modern, high quality facility that will support religious, educational, charitable and community activities for many years to come,”

the spokesman said, according to GB News.

The statement did not indicate that planning permission had been granted. The proposal remains subject to the council’s planning process, during which the authority will consider the application, public comments and reports relating to matters such as design, transport, highways, daylight, noise and the effect on neighbouring properties.

The centre describes itself as serving Albanian-speaking Muslims and the wider community. On its website, the organisation says it was established in London in 1994, formerly under the name Kosova Islamic Centre UK, to meet the religious, educational, social and cultural needs of communities connected with the Balkans and Kosovo.

The organisation also says its work extends beyond worship. Its stated activities include helping Albanian-speaking visitors with information about local customs, language, culture and religion, while promoting integration and community cohesion. The centre says demand for its services has increased and that it has pursued phased expansion projects with support from members and the wider community.

What has the local councillor said?

Sapna Chadha, a Conservative councillor, said she supported the right of faith communities to have appropriate places of worship. She also described Brent as a diverse borough in which people should be able to practise their faith freely and safely.

However, she said the size of the proposal created separate planning concerns. Chadha described the scheme as an “exceptionally large proposal” and said Queen’s Park already faced serious traffic congestion and parking pressures.

She also argued that local infrastructure had not kept pace with development. According to GB News, Chadha said residents had raised concerns about these issues for years and criticised the council for permitting growth without ensuring sufficient roads, transport improvements and local infrastructure.

Her comments distinguish between support for religious freedom and concerns about the practical effect of a specific development. The planning decision will therefore need to consider both the applicant’s stated community objectives and the objections connected with the proposed building’s scale and operation.

How has the architect responded to concerns about the tower?

Ayad Al-Tuhafi said the building had been designed to reduce its visual impact at street level. He said the structure would be set back, with the cantilever beginning at the third floor.

According to GB News, Al-Tuhafi said this approach was intended to reduce the perceived mass of the building, respect the setting of the neighbouring Baptist church and retain the tower’s visual prominence within the streetscape.

The architect’s comments address the relationship between the proposed building and its immediate surroundings. They do not remove the need for the council to assess the design formally, including its height, materials, appearance, effect on the church and relationship with nearby period properties.

Residents who oppose the scheme have said that the design does not fit the local architecture in either style or size. Planning images have become an important part of the debate because they show how the proposed tower could appear in relation to the church and surrounding homes.

Has planning permission been granted?

No. The proposed 13-storey mosque and community centre has not yet been granted planning permission.

The Daily Express reported that the plans were submitted to the local council in the previous month, while the architectural proposal was first submitted in December 2023 and the objection period closed only a few weeks before the newspaper’s report.

The application must proceed through the relevant planning process before any demolition or construction can begin. Public comments form part of the material that can be considered, although the number of objections alone does not determine the outcome.

The council will be expected to assess the application against planning policies and relevant technical evidence. Those considerations may include the effect on transport and highway safety, parking demand, noise, daylight, design, heritage or townscape, access, sustainability and the relationship between the proposed centre and neighbouring buildings.

The final decision could approve the scheme, refuse it or approve it with conditions. The available reports do not state that a final decision has been made.

What would the development mean for Queen’s Park?

If approved and built, the centre would significantly change the appearance of the site. A two-storey former pub would be replaced by a 13-storey tower, creating a much taller landmark at the junction of Carlton Vale and Rupert Road.

For residents, the practical questions would concern how many people use the building, when activities take place and how visitors travel to it. Prayer services, educational classes, weddings, funerals, restaurant use and community events could create different patterns of movement during weekdays, evenings and weekends.

Supporters would see the scheme as an investment in religious, educational and charitable infrastructure. The organisation has said the replacement building would provide a modern facility for activities that are currently carried out from its existing premises.

Opponents would want evidence that the surrounding roads, parking arrangements and public infrastructure could accommodate the expected demand. The application’s transport and operational information will be particularly relevant to that part of the debate.

The development has also raised questions about the character of the neighbourhood. Queen’s Park is associated with Victorian-era buildings and green space, while the proposal would introduce a high-rise structure beside an existing Baptist church. The council will need to determine whether the design is acceptable in that setting.

Background: how did the project develop?

The UK Albanian Muslim Community and Cultural Centre says it was established in London in 1994. Its stated purpose was to meet the religious, social, educational and cultural needs of Albanian-speaking Muslims and communities connected with Kosovo and the Balkans.

The organisation has operated from the Carlton Vale site since 1996, according to reporting by the Daily Express. The existing premises were originally a pub and have since been used as a mosque and community centre.

The redevelopment plans were prepared by Ayad Al-Tuhafi Architects. Earlier information about the proposal described a purpose-built centre with prayer areas, classrooms, community facilities, a café, restaurant space, offices, a multipurpose hall and funeral services.

The organisation’s own published information says the centre has become more than a place of worship and attracts visitors from different ages and backgrounds. It also says demand for its activities has increased, leading to plans for phased expansion.

The current proposal is more ambitious than a conventional low-rise extension because it would replace the existing building with a 13-storey tower. That scale has brought the project into conflict with residents who support the right to worship but question whether a high-rise facility is suitable for the site.

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Prediction: how could the development affect local residents and worshippers?

The immediate effect on local residents and worshippers is likely to be continued debate during the planning process. Residents are likely to focus on traffic, parking, noise, daylight, building height and the effect on the neighbouring church, while the centre’s members are likely to focus on the need for larger, purpose-built religious, educational and community facilities.

If planning permission is granted, local residents could experience construction activity, temporary disruption and changes to the appearance of the area during the building phase. Once operational, the level of traffic and noise would depend on the centre’s capacity, opening hours, event schedule, travel arrangements and any planning conditions imposed by the council.

For worshippers and Albanian-speaking community members, an approved scheme could provide more prayer space, classrooms, funeral facilities and areas for charitable and cultural activities. If permission is refused or the plans are changed, the organisation may need to continue using its existing premises or submit a revised proposal.

At this stage, the outcome remains uncertain. The planning decision, technical assessments and any conditions attached to permission will determine how the proposed development affects Queen’s Park and its surrounding communities.