Manor House: Safety concerns over mosque at high-rise flats

The proposed scheme included operating a prayer room and social centre for up to 80 people at Manor House, in Wakefield.

A planning application submitted to Wakefield Council said the facility was needed as a similar place of worship had been closed nearby.

The 14-storey block of flats, which sits above The Ridings shopping centre, is owned by Wakefield District Housing (WDH).

The social housing provider is currently carrying out essential fire safety works at the building, which is defined as ‘high risk’ under the Building Safety Act 2022.

A letter commenting on the scheme from WDH’s legal team said: “It is vital that these works are not delayed or otherwise negatively impacted by works to, or a change of use of, this property.”

WDH said the application lacked sufficient detail, adding: “As the accountable person for Manor House, we have a statutory duty to consider the impact any changes to connected buildings may have on the fire safety of the block.

“We require further information of all proposed works in order to properly consider this matter”.

The letter also said residential properties were in “very close proximity” to the proposed facility and “potential future noise disruption must be carefully considered”.

A similar place of worship had been in use above a fast food shop opposite Manor House.

It closed after the premises were acquired by the council as part of a major regeneration project planned for the Kirkgate area.

The application for the mosque on the first floor of the flats said: “The proposal is a relocation from the existing mosque that is subject to closure as a result of development.

“The existing facility had a similar first floor location above the takeaway opposite this site.

“The use would cater predominantly for the community that live in the town centre and can only attend on foot.”

Proposed opening hours were 5.30am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday.

Supporting documentation for the scheme stated: “The use would also be a dual purpose as a form of community hub for local residents.

“This use would be on a drop-in basis with facilities for basic food and drinks and is not proposed to provide classes or teaching provision. The use of prayer would generally be informal.

“Currently, outside of Friday prayer, the average attendance is around ten per prayer session. Friday prayer currently attracts around 80 worshippers.”

The council’s highways department said the scheme “did not raise significant issues” for road safety, but added: “The access to the first floor may cause tensions, customer service and amenity issues with the access to the ground floor premises at peak times, such as Friday afternoons when 80 persons could require to reach the first floor within a short space of time.”

West Yorkshire Police requested further details in relation to security and safety at the site, including CCTV camera coverage and external lighting.

The application was withdrawn on April 2, according to the council’s planning portal.