These residents on Ludgate St, Roselands, feel cheated by their council.
When a Muslim prayer hall financially backed by prominent sporting stars Anthony Mundine and Hazem El Masri was approved to operate three days a week, the voice of more than 400 locals against it went unheard.
Now the owners have quietly submitted a new DA to Canterbury Council and are asking for permission to operate from 4.30am to 11pm every day of the week when the construction is completed in the coming months.
“These are airport hours,” said Linda from the Ludgate St Residents Action Group.
“We have been accused of being racists but that has nothing to do with it. Our street will be full of cars.”
The site, purchased in 2007 for $875,000 by the Anthony Mundine and Hazem El Masri Association Limited, was originally a Chinese Christian Hall with approval for a childcare centre and worship every Sunday.
Both men are no longer associated with the site.
In their most recent DA owners sought permission for up to seven prayer and education sessions a day from 4.30am to 10pm.
Lebanese Muslim Association director Ahmad Kamaledine who submitted the DA said many elderly people in the area need somewhere to worship [that is] closer than the very busy Lakemba mosque, a suburb away.
Mr Kamaledine arranged for an assessment of impacts by Koikas Acoustics the report of which said noise levels would be “acceptable” subject to the construction of a 1.8m tall fence.
Canterbury Council general manager Jim Montague denied claims that the council had failed to notify residents about the new DA.
“In accordance with Councils notification policy, the new development application will be widely notified in the local community and comments or submissions will be received until 21 September, 2010,” he said.
Both Hazem El Masri and boxing star Anthony Mundine originally agreed to have their names associated with the project, but have now stepped away.
“Hazem was involved at the start, he was approached by a group to have his name attached to the project,” said his spokesman.
“He has since met with Lebanese Muslim Association director Ahmad Kamaledine and they decided quite amicably that Hazem would no longer be involved.
“There are some components to this project that he doesn’t agree to, and he just wants the local community to know that.”
Mr Kamaledine submitted the original DA to operate three days a week, but is now asking for permission to operate from 4.30am to 11pm every day of the week, when construction is completed in coming months.