A PLAN to change the use of a Redditch mosque to include a house of multiple occupancy has been granted permission.

An application was lodged to Redditch Borough Council to change the use of Redditch Mosque on Easemore Road to a mixed use for the mosque and a house multiple occupancy (HMO).

A house of multiple occupancy is a property with more than three tenants who are not from the same household who share bathroom and kitchen facilities.

Plans state the HMO would be made up of 26 bedrooms, with three on the ground floor, 11 bedrooms on the first floor and 12 on the second floor.

The prayer hall for the mosque would be retained on the ground floor, while communal facilities for the HMO would be available at each end of the building.

It comes as permission was already in place for the mosque to be of mixed use with residential dormitory facilities.

Granting permission, the decision notice states: “Whilst it is noted that this would represent a large HMO, the total number of bedrooms proposed would be similar to those that were approved under the previous application. Taking into consideration that mosque facilities are included in each scheme, it is considered that general activity within the building would be similar to the previously approved scheme and the current proposal.”

The scheme received no objections from highways.

There would be no major changes made to the exterior of the building, apart from a “general facelift”, the plan states.

The decision note adds: “The site is within a primarily residential area of the Borough and as such the principle of the mixed use development would be acceptable in this location. In addition, the building fronts a bus route and is close to the town centre making the scheme a sustainable residential development.”