Initial limited mosque availability meant that prayers were conducted in small rooms of council flats until the 1980s when more and larger facilities became available. Some synagogues and community buildings were turned into mosques and existing mosques began to expand their buildings. This process has continued down to the present day with the East London Mosque recently expanding into a large former car park where the London Muslim Centre is now used for prayers, recreational facilities and housing.[68][2] Most people regard themselves as part of the ummah, and their identity based on their religion rather than their ethnic group.[70] Cultural aspects of a 'Bengali Islam' are seen as superstition and as un-Islamic.[70] The identity is far stronger in comparison to the native land.