Community centre in Manningham 'designed to make a statement' approved by Council

The application for a striking centre that would include sports facilities, a cafe and book shop went before Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee yesterday, when members heard from the applicants and objectors to the plans.

The centre will be built on a vacant former play area off Tile Street, with some of the building being underground, with two storeys being street level. The applicants told the meeting that the building’s unusual design was inspired by Islamic architecture, but with a modern twist.

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Jamia Masjid Naqshbandia Aslamia, the mosque opposite the site, had submitted the plans, and said it would provide a vital community facility, offering homework classes to young people, services for the elderly and a club for deaf people. They told Councillors that the facility would boost the area, which has suffered from deprivation and low attainment.

“Our objection is that there is no need for this. There is a sports centre just a few hundred yards down the road and a community centre very close" - Objector Azmah Patel

The applicants said that as well as being inspired by Islam, the building had modernist features, and took inspiration from artists like Picasso.

The proposed site for the community centre at Tile Street in Manningham

Some councillors questioned the design, saying it was very different from the surrounding area. John Eyles, Major Development Manager, said: “It is not unusual for buildings that have a religious element to be different from surrounding buildings. You see a lot of large churches built in residential areas.

Does York Minster match the buildings around it? Just because a design is different doesn’t mean it’s unacceptable" - Major development manager John Eyles

"This building hasn’t been designed to fit in, it’s been designed to make a statement. Does York Minster match the buildings around it? Just because a design is different doesn’t mean it’s unacceptable.”

But some residents had raised concerns over the plans. Azmah Patel said: “Our objection is that there is no need for this. There is a sports centre just a few hundred yards down the road and a community centre very close. None of these facilities are needed in the area. You describe this design as mindblowing, well it is mindblowing to think in a year’s time we will have this on our doorstep.”

She said traffic in the area was already heavy at times due to the mosque opposite. She also said that when it opened, the mosque had originally claimed it would be a community facility, but added: “Now ladies are not permitted in the building, only once a month.”

“I really like the look of this building. At the moment the site looks like a bomb site, this is a big improvement" - Councillor David Warburton

Councillor Alan Wainwright asked representatives of the mosque if this was true. They replied that the mosque building wasn’t big enough, and that the new building would help offer more services.

Planning officers told members that the plans did show that the community centre contained women’s changing rooms.

Cllr Wainwright added: “I would really like to encourage you to work with women and really encourage women to use this facility. It is not a planning matter, but it is good for relations with the general public. Women deserve to have the same facilities as males.”

Chair Councillor David Warburton (Lab, Wyke) said: “I really like the look of this building. At the moment the site looks like a bomb site, this is a big improvement. I hope members of the mosque take on our comments in regards to integration.”