A London-based multi-faith foundation, which hopes to construct a multicultural community centre using £10m of lottery money, has failed in its final attempt to appeal the Millennium Commission’s refusal of funding.
Asha Foundation, of Herga House, London Road, Harrow on the Hill, sought funds for a leisure, education and community activity centre on a 10 acre site in Honeypart Lane, Harrow. The centre, dubbed “the country’s first museum of immigration”, was to be set up to encourage Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Christians to “bury their differences” and to learn about each other’s history and beliefs.
In both the High Court and the Court of Appeal, the foundation claimed that the commission had provided insufficient reasons for rejecting the application. Lord Woolf LCJ, although sympathising with Asha’s concerns, held that it would be impracticable as a matter of administration to require the commission to give more detail in its decision.
The House of Lords has now refused to allow the foundation to appeal the ruling. No reasons have been given for its decision.
References: PLS News 14/4/03
