The billionaire Issa brothers have dismissed a proposal to turn land earmarked for Britain's largest Muslim cemetery into a nature reserve. Zuber and Mohsin Issa, former co-owners of Asda, plan to resubmit plans for a 45-acre Memorial Garden in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, after two previous rejections.
Councillor Zak Khan and community activist Vinette Davitt suggested the greenbelt site could become a nature reserve with native trees, ponds, and public footpaths. In a letter to the Issa Foundation, they argued it would serve environmental and community objectives. However, the Foundation rejected the idea, stating it remains committed to a cemetery.
A spokesperson for the charity said: 'We acknowledge Councillor Khan's correspondence proposing a nature reserve... For clarity, across all the cemetery schemes submitted for consultation, we have consistently prioritised high-quality landscaping... We remain of the view that our proposal respectfully protects the land from built development while equally offering environmental and community benefits.'
The cemetery plans have faced strong local opposition. An earlier 84-acre application with 35,000 plots was withdrawn in 2021 after objections. A scaled-back version was withdrawn in October 2024 after planning officers recommended refusal, citing harm to protected trees and groundwater pollution risk. If approved, the cemetery would surpass the Gardens of Peace in east London, currently the UK's largest Muslim burial ground.
Cllr Khan expressed disappointment but said: 'I have kept the proposal firmly on the table and made clear that, as a community, we cannot accept a cemetery application in any form.' He hopes the brothers will eventually reconsider.
