The billionaire Issa brothers have refused to abandon their controversial plans to build Britain’s biggest Muslim cemetery close to their hometown of Blackburn.
Their initial withdrawal came as planning officers recommended the proposed 45-acre Memorial Garden site be rejected ahead of a council meeting next week.
According to their recommendations, the cemetery – which was earmarked to cover a large swathe of greenbelt land in the small Lancashire village of Oswaldtwistle – would have a ‘harmful effect on the appearance of the area’.
Zuber Issa and his brother Mohsin’s – who co-owns supermarket giant Asda – plan would see 12,250 burial plots, funeral parlour, and prayer hall built on the plot of land.
A spokesperson for the Issa Foundation – a charity owned by the brothers – has confirmed the brothers will resubmit their application claiming the cemetery will be ‘sensitively designed’.
This is despite fierce opposition from nearby residents who started a campaign group called ‘Say No to the Cemetery’ to halt the plans.
If it was to go ahead it would be bigger than Britain’s current biggest Muslim cemetery, the Gardens of Peace in east London which has 10,000 plots on 21.5 acres.
An original application submitted in October 2021 for an 84-acre site with 35,000 plots had also previously been withdrawn after opposition.
A report put together by planning officers at Hyndburn Borough Council gave nine reasons for rejection of the current plan including’ inappropriate development’.
Billionaire brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa have refused to withdraw their plans to build Britain’s biggest Muslim cemetery
The proposed 45-acre Memorial Garden site was set to be built on greenbelt land close to the small Lancashire village of Oswaldtwistle
They also said it would have a ‘harmful effect on the character and appearance of the area’ as well as ‘harm’ protected trees and would present an ‘unacceptable risk of pollution of groundwater’.
Thousands of residents objected to the new scaled-back plans which the brothers revealed on November 5 2024.
In response to the news, councillor Steve Smithson, 39, said: ‘The withdrawal of the cemetery planning application is nothing short of cowardly.
‘Rather than face the community, the applicants have chosen to run – it’s a blatant attempt to avoid embarrassment.
‘If they thought their plans were so right, they should’ve had the backbone to defend them publicly.
‘Defend the anxiety and frustration they have put on the Oswaldtwistle community for years.
‘If they really wanted to leave a legacy, and do something for others – I say, give the land to the residents of Oswaldtwistle so that we can create our own open green space.’
The Tory councillor who volunteered for the ‘Stop the Cemetery’ campaign added: ‘To everyone in Oswaldtwistle it shows what we can do when we come together.
Residents were quick to make their opposition to the proposal heard with a group called ‘Say No to the Cemetery’ which also gained the support of local councillors
Mohsin (right) co-owns supermarket giant Asda alongside private equity firm TDR Capital, but his brother sold his stake in June 2024
‘This should be the end of their attempts to build on this land but no matter what happens, we will continue to fight.’
‘Though I’m disappointed that the application didn’t go to the planning meeting where they hopefully would have rejected the application.
‘For now it means the situation is still up in the air for the local residents.’
Other reasons for the alleged planned rejection included the proposal did not meet any of the ‘circumstances where development will be supported in the rural area’.
The report also said it would ‘include a significant overprovision of car parking, which would conflict with the aim of encouraging the greater use of sustainable transport modes’.
It said the application has not ‘applied a sequential approach to the location of development’.
Two other issues included the application failed to ‘adequately describe the significance of any potential archaeological assets affected’ as well as failed to demonstrate that the ‘proposal would incorporate renewable or low-carbon technology’.
The brothers originally proposed to build 35,000 burial plots, prayer pavilions and caretaker accommodation and 752 car parking spaces which would have been branded as ‘Europe’s largest’.
Mohsin co-owns Asda alongside private equity firm TDR Capital, but his brother sold his stake in June 2024.
A spokesperson for the Issa Foundation said: ‘This decision has been taken to allow our team, alongside our professional advisers, the opportunity to revisit and refine the proposal further.
‘Our aim is to continue to enhance the development to ensure it fully meets planning policy requirements and addresses the views and expectations of all stakeholders.
‘We remain committed to delivering a sensitively designed and much-needed facility, and we will continue to engage constructively with the local community and planning authorities as we work towards a revised application.’
Hyndburn Borough Council have been approached for a comment.