The Wokingham Islamic Centre has confirmed it has exchanged contracts to buy the former Ritz cinema on Easthampstead Road and has moved to correct what it describes as widespread misinformation about its intentions for the site.
Centre says former cinema will be a community hub, not a full-time mosque
A spokesperson for the group, which currently uses Woosehill Community Centre on a weekly basis, told local media that reports suggesting the building will be converted into a mosque are inaccurate. They said the centre’s proposals envisage using the premises as a community hub, with prayers taking place for only a few hours each week.
“There is a considerable amount of misinformation going around. We have not submitted any plans to Wokingham borough council. We understand the building already has planning use as an entertainment venue.”
The statement emphasised that, as with any purchaser, the group will be subject to the usual planning process should it seek to change the building’s use. The spokesperson noted that any investor could have acquired the property and pursued a different project, subject to planning permission.
Background: the building’s planning history and previous owner
The former Ritz was placed on the open market with offers invited for over £999,999. The previous owner, Montreaux Homes, was granted permission to demolish the existing building and erect 27 luxury apartments, but that planning permission has since expired. Montreaux Homes went into liquidation in 2024 and has been in the headlines this week over allegations of defects by homeowners.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Quoted asking price | Offers over £999,999 |
| Previous planning permission | Permission granted for 27 apartments; subsequently expired |
| Current status | Contracts exchanged; no planning application submitted by purchaser |
Earlier proposals for redevelopment of the site had been refused on two occasions and were the subject of an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. The centre’s spokesperson said that the prospect of the site being flattened to deliver a small number of luxury apartments would have resulted in the building being lost, arguing that retention for community use was preferable.
Local reaction and the planning process
Several online petitions have appeared opposing the vision put forward by the Islamic centre, reflecting divided local sentiment. The centre’s spokesperson reiterated that no planning application has been submitted to Wokingham Borough Council, and that any change of use would require the council’s consideration.
- The group says it will invest significant funds to make the building usable.
- They acknowledge the site could legally have been purchased by any party and redeveloped subject to planning permission.
- They stress that current arrangements include only limited prayer times and a focus on community activities.
The statement underlined the scale of investment the project would require, describing it as a “multi-million pound investment”. That proposition sits against a backdrop of contested planning applications and local sensitivities about alterations to well-known town-centre landmarks.
For residents of Wokingham, the matter raises familiar questions about the future of central sites, how planning decisions shape the town, and who speaks for community interests. The council will be the statutory decision-maker should a formal planning application follow. Until that point, the centre’s clarifications are the most recent step in a conversation likely to continue as details of any proposals emerge.
The centre’s move to correct online accounts aims to shape that conversation from the outset, emphasising retention of the building for community use rather than demolition and redevelopment.
