Local Residents Complain to Council After Discovering What People Were Doing With Copies of the Koran at a Site in Their UK Town

A row has started in a UK town after a site where old and damaged copies of the Koran were buried was ruled to be unauthorised.

Residents raised concerns after seeing copies of the Islamic holy book being buried near a shrine-like structure off Wood Nook Lane in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire. The local council has now taken enforcement action and called for materials connected to the structure to be removed.

The Korans buried at the site were said to be old, worn out or damaged. In Islam, worn or damaged copies of the Koran are treated with respect, and burial or burning can be used as a respectful way of disposing of them.

Footage of the site was shared by Rest Gardens, a company involved in arranging the Islamic burial of old copies of the Koran.

However, the Environment Agency said the activity at the site was not allowed under waste-management laws and should stop immediately. The agency is also supporting Calderdale Council after reports of possible fly-tipping at the location.

Calderdale Council has issued a planning enforcement notice concerning the site. Council documents say the unauthorised development has caused harm to the appearance and character of the surrounding area.

The notice particularly refers to columns and a marble slab that form part of the structure. According to the council, these parts can be clearly seen from surrounding land and public areas and therefore have an impact on how the site looks.

An appeal has been made against the enforcement notice, meaning the dispute is still ongoing.

Meanwhile, more than 1,220 people have signed a petition calling for the structure to be removed.

The residents behind the petition said their campaign was not against Islam or any other religion. They said everyone should be free to practise their faith as long as they follow the law.

They explained that their main concern was making sure changes to land and developments follow the same planning and environmental rules that apply to everyone else.

Some local residents have strongly criticised the appearance of the site, with some describing it as an “eyesore”. One resident said the site should be held to the same standards as any other development, regardless of religion.

Labour councillor Adam Wilkinson, who represents Sowerby Bridge and lives locally, said he understood the frustration of residents who believe planning rules have not been followed.

He said nobody wants an unattractive development or an alleged illegal waste site near their home. He also acknowledged concerns about copies of the Koran being buried there and welcomed efforts to strengthen action against problem waste sites.

The Environment Agency said illegal waste activities can cause problems for local communities and confirmed that it was helping the council deal with reports concerning the site.

The agency said waste-management laws must be followed and warned that people who break those laws could face enforcement action.

However, Mohammed Khorshid, a director of Rest Gardens, said the structure had been at the location for more than five years. He said people also use the area to meet and organise gardening activities.

Khorshid also explained why British flags had been placed on poles at the site. He said those involved wanted to make it clear that they were British after facing abuse and being wrongly labelled as migrants who had arrived in Britain by boat.

Calderdale Council confirmed that it was aware of the structure but said it could not comment further because an active planning enforcement process is currently taking place.

For now, the dispute remains unresolved as the appeal continues, while residents, the council, the Environment Agency and those responsible for the site wait to see what happens next.