YOUR article on the refusal of the application to rebuild the York Mosque provides a dismal litany of spurious reasons for that refusal (The Press, October 17).

If, as the Environment Agency claims, the mosque is on land liable to flooding, will it now require the local authority to move the traveller site on Lawrence Street to a more secure area? If the building, as a faith centre, is likely to attract attention from yobs, will they now demolish churches in the city which might be subject to the same unwarranted attention?

If the Raylor Centre is worried about noise and traffic, will it close down all those business units which contribute traffic and noise to the area? Perhaps it has forgotten that Muslims are taxpayers and consumers.

These objections are thinly disguised forms of racism. Many of those Muslims wanting to worship at their own faith centre are British citizens, the remainder visitors to this city; they all have the right to a place of worship.

Muslims contribute a huge amount to the economic and social life of the city and those opposing the application are living in a dim past.

Gary Craig, Professor of Social Justice, University of Durham.