Councillors in Oswestry have not offered any objections to proposals for fresh plans to establish a Muslim centre in the town.

The plans are currently under consultation with Shropshire Council – closing on Thursday, October 3 – and were put before Oswestry Town Council's planning committee on Wednesday, September 11.

The plans are to convert The Citadel into the centre, which most recently had plans for a cinema approved at the former Salvation Army base as well as formerly housing a carpet business.

The applicant, Zacharia Chowdhury, says his plans are to return the building to community use for a congregation which will be drawn from the Oswestry area.

He also states that the visual character of the building will also be maintained, and would continue to sit with the heritage of the other buildings along King Street.

The application also confirmed the times when the Muslim centre will be used by worshippers – five times a day, while twice a year there will be early morning payers for Eid-Ul-Adah and Eid-Ul-Fitre while Ramadam will also be celebrated.

It was also confirmed there will be no external noise to call worshippers to prayer.

The plans have caused some controversy on social media, with some residents stating the centre will not be welcomed while others have called for the King Street building to be put to other uses.

However, some Facebook users have defended the application.

At the planning meeting on Wednesday, councillors were given the chance to comment on the application, to be put towards Shropshire Council.

But it was unanimously voted to support the application without comment.

Meanwhile, three more items from the planning agenda were also given support without comment.

First, the building of a single-storey rear extension and side garage to replace one already demolished in Victoria Road; new windows at Baldwins Accountants in Beatrice Street and to approve additional community room floorspace at the Morrisons site in Smithfield Market.