(Foto: Edwin Hügler)
14.06.2022, 05:00
Aalen-Unterkochen
During an on site meeting on Monday evening, the city of Aalen and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Aalen informed the Unterkochen local council and the neighbors about the planned new constructionn of a mosque in the Pfromaecker commercial area. However, it is still questionable whether the project can be realised. On the one hand, the neighbors in particular raise concerns about the parking spaces, traffic situation, noise pollution and fear of attacks, on the other hand, Miroslav Zivicnjak is a second applicant for the property with an area of 1470 square meters.
In July 2021, the 220-member Ahmadiyya community in Aalen applied for the relevant property and submitted a preliminary building application for a mosque. The prayer house should offer space for 175 people and only ten parking spaces were planned. After a building law review, the city of Aalen declared the preliminary building application to be generally approvable subject to certain conditions, although the building would have to be much smaller and the number of parking spaces increased
Like the chairman of the Ahmaddiya community, and architect Saeed Gessler at the pre- Ort-Termim explained that these requirements had now been complied with. The revised construction project envisages a mosque with space for 120 people on two floors. The minaret is nine meters high and there is also a plan for an annex for an administrator. Overall, the building has a gross area of 493 square meters. There are also 23 parking spaces.
Aziz stressed that the project will be fully funded by the Ahmadiyya Community itself. The construction period could last four to five years.
Lord Mayor Frederick Bruetting said that the entire process should be as transparent as possible. The new plans for the mosque correspond to the building regulations. This was followed by public participation and consultation in the committees.
Many concerns about the project were voiced by neighbors. In addition to general statements such as ‘We don’t need a mosque in Unterkochen’, the traffic and parking situation is viewed critically. Fears of impending attacks on the mosque were also expressed.
The second applicant for the corresponding property, Miroslav Zivicnjak, Managing Director of miro concept GmbH, briefly presented his planned extension. The development and design office wants to create new jobs at this location. In addition, the company pays 30000 Euros in trade tax per year.
The Unterkochen local council will make a recommendation on the allocation of building sites at its meeting on June 20th. The Aalen municipal council will then have the last word on July 7, 2022.
Categories: Ahmadis, Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Europe, Europe and Australia, European Union, Germany
Not easy to build mosques even in most democratic Germany. But efforts continue. (Article in German. Google translate being used. sorry for inconvenience.).