Islamic girls’ school set to open below self defence and fitness centre
A 120-place independent girls’ school is set to be created in a space below a self defence and fitness centre. Plans have been submitted in the past week to create the school in vacant former commercial space at Khizra House on Lord Street on the eastern fringe of Bury town centre.
A planning statement in support of the plans said ‘the proposed school will mean that girls can be educated in the heart of their local community’. The building used to be commercial premises but the ground floor has been vacant since 2017.
The upper floor is occupied by the Bury Defence Academy (BDA). It is described in the application as ‘a very popular and well-respected coaching centre for self defence and fitness’.
The application said the proposed school and the BDA will co-exist ‘harmoniously’ as BDA activities take place on the first floor during evenings and weekends while the school will operate during the day on week days. The application states: “The site is owned by the Jamira Khizra Mosque which is immediately adjacent to the east of the application site.
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“The application site comprises a rectangular two-storey brick-built building, with the main frontage on Lord Street and an enclosed open area to the rear which is partly used for car parking. The ground floor consists of a central corridor with two large rooms on either side of it and a number of smaller rooms towards each end. The interior is well-lit by natural lights from a series of large windows.
“The configuration lends itself to conversion to school use without significant internal or external alteration. The Bury Defence Academy (BDA) is a registered charity which provides self defence and fitness training and coaching across a range of age groups and is a valued local community asset.”
The application said two existing large rooms will provide classrooms that can be divided by folding doors to provide versatile and adaptable teaching spaces. Smaller rooms will be converted to create an office and reception, head teacher’s office, staff room, kitchen and toilets.
The outdoor area to the rear will provide parking 10 car parking spaces plus two new disabled spaces. The application, added: “The proposed development would provide a new independent Islamic high school for girls which would be an asset for the local community, with the social and economic benefits which would flow from high quality education provision in this location.
“This would be achieved without harm to residential amenity, highway safety or the environment.” Planners at Bury Council will now consider the plans with a decision expected later this year.