WORLDHAM Parish Council has moved into action following local concerns over the Ahmadiyya UK Muslim Association's purchase of a East Worldham farm. The parish council is organising a string of meetings to take place this month between themselves, residents, district councillors, country councillors and the association itself. Many local residents voiced their concerns, following reports in The Herald last month, that the association was purchasing Oaklands Farm on Green Street. Local people are concerned over how their community will cope with more than 30,000 people that could be coming for the annual muslim convention next year. The farm sale was signed and sealed last Friday and the Ahmadiyya UK Muslim Association will be out and about in the community this weekend introducing themselves. Stephen Dolley, chairman of Worldham Parish Council, said: "We have got four meetings booked in. We have been concerned for years over the traffic on the road. Every time there's a development that increases the traffic load, we object. It's been a long hard fight and we don't feel we have made much progress. "But to have a convention with up to 40,000 people- there will be an increase in traffic which we don't think is suitable on that road. There are also concerns about what developments may take place on the farm." The first meeting is a closed meeting between the parish council and the Ahmadiyya UK Muslim Association on Monday. This is for the councillors to put their questions to the muslims and to hear what the association is intending to do with the site. The doors will then be opened to the public in the Worldham Parish Council meeting on Thursday November 10 at 8 pm, at East Worldham Village Hall. This meeting will be attended by the parish councillors, a representative from the muslim trust and the public. On November 18 there will be meeting at Oaklands Farm for the new occupants to meet new neighbours. Finally, on November 30, the parish council is arranging a meeting between district and county councillors to discuss issued arising from previous meetings.
