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Permission was being sought to convert a former private members club in the Acocks Green area to a mosque. Despite the plans for the Spring Road site attracting dozens of letters of support, more than 200 objections were received by the city council amid concerns over issues such as parking and the impact on nearby roads. According to a council report, the area’s MP Jess Phillips submitted a formal objection to the application and pointed to the potential impact on parking and highway safety. Acocks Green Councillor Roger Harmer also objected to the proposals, saying he was troubled by “traffic generation and potential congestion in the surrounding area”. A council report said that the anticipated parking demand would not be “absorbed” by any single street in isolation. “Instead, it would be distributed across multiple streets within the survey area,” it continued. “[This] would avoid concentrated pressure and ensure that the proposal does not result in unacceptable levels of congestion.” One of the proposed conditions was that Friday prayers be limited to one session between 12.30 and 2.30pm. The report said that Friday prayer, described as the busiest period of the week for Muslim worshippers, would avoid overlap with “school dismissal times and mid-afternoon commuter traffic”. The plans were recommended for approval, with the report concluding: “The proposal would not have a detrimental impact on the functioning of the local highways network or result in adverse implications for highway safety.” But councillors at a recent planning meeting expressed concern, with Councillor Gareth Moore saying: “I certainly don’t have an issue with places of worship but clearly they are notorious for having substantive parking issues associated with them. “I don’t take any comfort from the assurances offered therefore I can’t support it.” “Again, I’ve got no problem with the proposed use – no problem at all,” Coun Jane Jones added. “But as someone who’s had a mosque in their ward in quite a built-up area on a busy road where parking was already a massive issue, it’s just caused unprecedented issues.” “It’s not the mosque, it’s the location, so I’m afraid I’m going to be voting against,” she added. Coun Colin Green added: “I note this application is right in Acocks Green town centre by the shops which is perennially difficult to find a parking space. “I’m not against the conversion to a place of worship – is there reassurance parking spaces are actually adequate?” A council officer told the meeting: “It’d be Friday afternoon where the parking demand would be at its highest. “So to avoid that conflict of cars going in and out of the site at the same time, the idea was to restrict it to one per service.” The council report concluded that the proposed development would “secure a long-term, socially beneficial use for a currently vacant building” and “contribute positively to the character and cohesion of the area”. Those supportive of the plans also suggested they could promote sustainable travel given its location and reduce unnecessary travel by car. “If [Friday prayer] is just restricted to one prayer, that would make a big difference,” Coun Mumtaz Hussain added at the meeting. However, the majority of Birmingham’s planning committee remained unconvinced and voted to refuse the plans.
