We are retired grandparents with three generations living together in our home. We have worked hard to take care of our family and live on a Royal Mail pension.
We bought our home in a quiet, green, residential area of London, 31 years ago and did not expect to have our peaceful, family life destroyed by places of worship appearing next door.
We are of the same faith as the centres and our problem is not about race or religion. It is about our right to peacefully enjoy our home with our family and that the State has neglected its obligations to us.
The Local Planning Authority has allowed, by acts and omissions, for three Places of Worship, Properties A, B and D, to operate directly next door to our home – Property C.
The Local Planning Authority granted planning permission for residential homes A and B to operate as Places of Worship, next door to us, in a residential area, contrary to planning policies. The Local Planning Authority did not enforce conditions regarding planning permissions on Properties A and B. The Local Planning Authority omitted to enforce the illegal operation of Property D as a Place of Worship for 6 years and did not object to permission being granted at appeal.
The State has incorrectly granted permissions; omitted to enforce; failed to enforce effectively; and neglected to recommend appropriate sites in non-residential areas for a Place of Worship. In doing so, the State has permitted Places of Worship to operate next to our home without any regard for our Human Rights to live peacefully and enjoy our family life and home.
The successive failures of the Local Authority have created this situation. We are currently awaiting a decision by the Inspectorate of Planning regarding change of use of Property D to a Place of Worship.
If granted permission, this would be the third property next to our home to be granted change of use to a Place of Worship. The State would again be in breach of our Human Rights, Article 1, First Protocol to peacefully enjoy our home without State interference and Article 8 to protect our privacy and right to a private and family life.
Please protect our Human Rights, protect our family and stop Property D being granted change of use to a Place of Worship.
Disclaimer: We have not disclosed our names and location to avoid breach of privacy of the owners and operators of Properties A, B & D and have provided full details to 38 degrees.
