A MULTI-MILLION pound Islamic garden for High Wycombe could be a “Europe wide phenomenon” one of its backers has said.

Clare Martens said the planned garden would be a “tourist attraction” and hopefully bring Muslim and non-Muslim communities together.

Addressing community leaders today she said: “It will be an enormous boost to quality of life in the town.”

Yet she said it was unlikely public money would be available to finance the garden, for which no location has been earmarked.

Volunteers want to raise £1m to buy land and employ an architect and designer through donations.

The former Labour councillor said: “It is going to cost a lot of money.”

Adding the “time is right” for the development she said: “The likelehood of it being donated by a public body is unlikely but obviously it is a possibility.”

Fellow backer Mohammed Rafiq, a Labour member of Wycombe District Council, said the garden would be for everyone.

He said: “People think it is really for the Muslim community. I think that is far from it.

“It is something to be enjoyed by everyone.”

The garden would “break down barriers in an enjoyable and soothing way”.

Wycombe MP Paul Goodman, a shadow minister responsible for community cohesion, said the garden could resemble the garden of Andalucia in Spain, where Jews, Muslims and Christians mix.

Any scheme would need planning permission from the district council.

They were speaking at a seminar organised by the Council for Christian and Muslim Relations for High Wycombe at Bucks New University today.