Solihull mosque faces fresh uncertainty after council rejects marquee plans

A Solihull mosque has been refused permission to keep its temporary prayer marquee for another year after councillors voted unanimously against the plans.

Solihull Central Masjid, on Warwick Road, had applied to retain the structure, which was originally erected during the Covid-19 pandemic to provide additional space for socially distanced prayers.

The application attracted more than 90 objections from local residents, with traffic and parking concerns featuring prominently during a meeting of Solihull Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, October 21.

Why was the marquee refused permission?

The marquee was installed in 2020 to provide additional prayer space at the mosque.

The council previously argued that the structure constituted inappropriate development in the green belt. However, the mosque successfully appealed against an earlier decision, with a planning inspector recognising the community and social need for the facility.

Temporary permission was subsequently granted for a further year in February 2025.

That permission expired earlier this year, prompting the mosque to submit another application to retain the marquee for 12 months.

During the latest planning committee meeting, residents raised concerns about traffic and parking pressures around the site.

Objector Stephen Hollowood, who said he was representing residents, highlighted highway issues and claimed additional parking associated with people attending the marquee was a major concern.

Councillor Josh O’Nyons also questioned the continued use of temporary planning permission.

He said: “If planning conditions are to retain any credibility, if public confidence in the planning system is to be maintained there must come a point where temporary development is either replaced by a properly assessed permanent proposal or removed.”

Mosque says permanent building plans have faced delays

The mosque’s representatives argued that retaining the marquee would ensure the local Muslim community continued to have access to suitable prayer facilities while plans for a permanent building progressed.

Amelia Cary, from planning agents Claremont Planning, told the committee that the application for a permanent building had experienced significant delays in receiving responses from consultees, including a 14-month wait for ecology comments.

She said the marquee ensured the community had access to safe and accessible prayer space until a permanent solution could be secured.

Councillor Max McLoughlin acknowledged residents’ concerns about traffic but argued that some of the parking pressure could be linked to the Brueton Parkrun, which takes place on Saturdays.

He also pointed to the earlier planning appeal, which recognised the community benefits of the additional prayer space.

Council officers told the committee that the highways team had not objected to the application because the impact was not considered severe enough to warrant an objection.

Despite the arguments in favour of retaining the structure, councillors voted unanimously to refuse the application at the meeting on October 21.

What happens next?

The decision comes as the mosque pursues plans for a permanent prayer and community building at the site.

A separate application, submitted in July 2025, proposes removing existing rear structures and constructing a single-storey building behind Sandalls Cottage, where the mosque is based.

The mosque has said the proposal is intended to replace the temporary structures and improve its existing facilities, rather than create a new place of worship.

The latest refusal leaves uncertainty over how long the marquee can remain while the permanent development is considered.

The outcome of the separate application, and any subsequent planning appeal or further application concerning the temporary structure, could determine the next stage for the site.

The council’s planning records can be searched through its official planning application portal⁠.