by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON Borough Council looks set to sell a former school gymnasium to the town's Islamic Association for £60,000 less than the current market value.
The gym at Bewsey Old School would be converted into a mosque and community centre.
It is currently valued at £260,000 but the council is being recommended by officers to sell the building for £200,000.
Warrington Islamic Association (WIA) already leases half the property for religious and community purposes and pays a licence fee of £3,000-a-year. The other half is run by the council as a community centre.
A recent structural survey has revealed that extensive repairs are needed to the building at a likely cost of £196,000.
The deal would restrict future use of the building to religious and community education purposes.
Should the WIA wish to dispose of the property in the future, it would have at first have to offer to sell it back to the council.
A report to be considered by the council's executive board indicates it is not proposed to market the property by auction or tender but to contract direct with the WIA as the current occupier.
However, the council may be required to justify the sale should any other potential purchases come forward wishing to purchase on a similar restricted use basis.
A council can sell a property at less than market value if the disposal cocntributes to the promotion or improvement of social well-being of the area.
A condition of the sale will be that the community centre in the other half of the building remain available to the whole community.
The WIA says it wishes to work in partnership with the council in developing future community events at the property and is seeking the nomination of a senior council officer onto the community centre board.
If the WIA failed to comply with the restriction on uses of the building, the council could take action and, ultimately, take back the property.
The gym at Bewsey Old School would be converted into a mosque and community centre.
It is currently valued at £260,000 but the council is being recommended by officers to sell the building for £200,000.
Warrington Islamic Association (WIA) already leases half the property for religious and community purposes and pays a licence fee of £3,000-a-year. The other half is run by the council as a community centre.
A recent structural survey has revealed that extensive repairs are needed to the building at a likely cost of £196,000.
The deal would restrict future use of the building to religious and community education purposes.
Should the WIA wish to dispose of the property in the future, it would have at first have to offer to sell it back to the council.
A report to be considered by the council's executive board indicates it is not proposed to market the property by auction or tender but to contract direct with the WIA as the current occupier.
However, the council may be required to justify the sale should any other potential purchases come forward wishing to purchase on a similar restricted use basis.
A council can sell a property at less than market value if the disposal cocntributes to the promotion or improvement of social well-being of the area.
A condition of the sale will be that the community centre in the other half of the building remain available to the whole community.
The WIA says it wishes to work in partnership with the council in developing future community events at the property and is seeking the nomination of a senior council officer onto the community centre board.
If the WIA failed to comply with the restriction on uses of the building, the council could take action and, ultimately, take back the property.
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4 Responses to "School gym to become mosque?" 
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said this on 09 Mar 2010 8:31:15 PM UTC
I bet if it was a christian society that wanted to buy it they would have to pay the top price... Makes you sick.
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said this on 09 Mar 2010 10:12:35 PM UTC
Not a very PC or constructive comment MHH.......There's not a lot the council can do with it really other than sell it to the WIA on the cheap.. on religious and human rights grounds maybe !?!? There were petitions etc when it was thought the council was going to sell the land for housing and not sure who's side came up with the huge repair costs and low valuation for puchase but going on some of the comments at the time if it was my building I may have just given it to them for free !!
At least it will still have some form of community use :)
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said this on 10 Mar 2010 12:25:57 AM UTC
Why are the council selling it off in the first place?
If this group have been renting it for just under £58 per week. (don't church halls charge circa £15 per hour?) they've had a real bargain!
If they are allowed to buy it at a discount of £60k renovate then sell at a profit they've got an even better deal!
The insertion of such clauses as:-
"Should the WIA wish to dispose of the property in the future, it would have at first have to offer to sell it back to the council" seem rather pointless, if the council are virtually giving it away in the first place seems unlikely they'll want to buy it back at a price far higher than what they gave it away for!
Another question,- how much are this group going to charge for the use of the other half of the gym? will £58 per week do?
Are we supposed to be convinced that the reason for selling the gym is not that the council merely want to offload responsibility but because;-
"A recent structural survey has revealed that extensive repairs are needed to the building at a likely cost of £196,000."??? a LIKELY cost????
"Crumbling" building, ' likely cost'............now where have we heard that before?
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said this on 10 Mar 2010 12:14:45 PM UTC
The gym is a dump inside and out. Fair play to the WIA for wanting to take it on.... anyone else want to buy this dump for £200k..... didn't think so!
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