The Manchester suburban battle that raged for five months – and was resolved in 12 minutes

When the British Muslim Heritage Centre (BMHC), a mosque in Whalley Range, applied for permission to keep an events marquee in place for three more years last September, it seemed like business as usual. The marquee was first erected 12 years earlier, and stayed in place on successive three-year-long temporary planning permissions.

It’s popular, with religious services, workshops, funerals, and weddings taking place in the structure. But it’s popularity is also why some neighbours resisted the marquee’s extension.

“The increased traffic and pollution, the noise and antisocial behaviour we have experienced means we can no longer abide the status quo, “ a residents’ representative told Manchester’s planning committee last month (January 15).

“In fact, in the four weeks since the last meeting here, the issues outlined previously have continued: Events have run over, there’s still inadequate security, there’s still noise from the catering workers and the lights are still left on.

“This is not acceptable. The onus should be on the managers to make sure it does not happen.”

At that meeting, regulars argued the BMHC’s grade-II listed home can only live on if a planned £34m restoration goes ahead — something reliant on income from the marquee.

Naila Ahmed, a neighbour and mosque user, said: “The view the BMHC operates considerately and responsibly is shared by numerous neighbours whose voices have not previously been heard.

“As a long-standing resident I value peace, good neighbourly relations and responsible development. In my experience the BMHC has been a good neighbour: It’s added life, culture, and opportunity to the area.”

The January discussion was the third time the town hall saw this battle play out. Like previous occasions, councillors voted to defer a final decision, in effect giving the marquee a stay of execution to prove it can be run considerately.

Thursday (February 12) was D-Day for the BMHC. But after five months of arguments, thousands of letters sent to the town hall, and ill-feeling, the dispute was resolved in 12 minutes.

Officers added more conditions to allow the marquee to stay open for 18 months longer, such as adding automatic timers to outside lights, introducing extra car park marshals, commissioning an acoustic review, and a promise that ‘any further temporary approval for the marquee will not lead to an application for it to become a permanent structure’.

That satisfied councillors, who approved the bid, although Coun Paul Andrews gave a stern warning: “Is there anything we can do to send a signal [to the applicant] you have to be tight on it and hit the ground running?

“I want an element of the sword of Damocles on this.”