Islamic prayer hall in Sandwell thrown new lifeline

The Afghan Community in the West Midlands education centre on Grove Street, Smethwick, has been thrown a lifeline after a planning inspector rejected Sandwell Council’s claim it would hinder vehicles entering the site of the Midland Metropolitan.

The long-awaited super hospital is being built on land opposite a former factory which has been home to the centre for four years.

The independent watchdog said a two year extension to continuing using the building won’t effect the hospital which is not expected to open until 2022.

In 2019, Sandwell Council rejected an application to extend existing permission saying growing numbers of worshippers attending Friday prayers would impede traffic flow to the hospital and hindered possible future housing developments.

But following an appeal, the independent planning inspector said Grove Street already suffers parking problems from factories and local businesses.

Accepting traffic would increase once the hospital opens, the inspector said was no evidence to support the council’s arguments while construction continued, adding: “Mindful of these points, and also taking into account the limited effect of the vehicular activity connected with the prayer room, I cannot conclude the traffic flows round the hospital would be affected unacceptably by this use.”

He also dismissed a claim the centre could harm future commercial and housing plans, saying: “It is unclear as to when such redevelopment would start, with the council just stating that the timescales for completion of the hospital development mean there is ‘more certainty’ the allocation for residential development ‘will come forward’.

“Given this lack of clarity, it has not been shown the council’s long-term intentions for the area would be prejudiced by allowing the use to operate for a further two years.”

The Abrahamic Foundation has been contacted for comment.