Watford Mosque Project Nears Fundraising Goal
The initiative, known as the Masjid Al-Ummah project, involves transforming the former St Thomas’ United Reformed Church on Langley Road, Nascot, which has stood vacant since its closure in 2015.
The building had previously been deemed structurally unsound and unfit for use, prompting earlier redevelopment plans that were ultimately abandoned.
According to project trustees, the final donation that brought the total raised to £461,000 was received on March 31, Watford Observer reported on Friday.
The funding campaign was launched to support the purchase of the building, and trustees confirmed that part of the money will now go toward repaying short-term financing used to secure the property.
Read More:
The project team said in a public statement: "We have received encouraging support from the community thus far and are optimistic on the next steps."
Future stages of the project include a major renovation of the building, for which an additional £2 million will be required by the end of 2025.
Organizers hope to open the mosque in the summer of 2026, with the full £2.75 million in financing expected to be repaid by January 2027.
Originally, the church site had been earmarked for redevelopment into a new place of worship following its closure. Although planning permission was granted twice, construction never commenced, and the land was eventually listed for sale after it was determined that rebuilding a church would no longer be viable.
Source: Agencies
