LONDON: Billionaire Asif Aziz is building a three-storey mosque in one of central London’s most famous entertainment complexes, the Mail on Sunday reported.
The mosque will be located inside the Trocadero, between Piccadilly Circus and Soho. It is being established through the Aziz Foundation, the property tycoon’s charitable arm.
According to the foundation, the mosque will have capacity for 390 worshippers and will serve Muslims who work in the area as well as tourists visiting London. It is expected to open within months.
Malawian-born Aziz owns a property portfolio worth over £2 billion ($2.6 billion), purchasing the Trocadero for over £220 million in 2005, the Mail on Sunday reported.
Previous proposals for a 1,000-capacity mosque at the site were dropped in 2020 following a backlash from residents and far-right groups.
However, Westminster Council approved a planning application for a smaller development in May.