A Solihull mosque has been refused permission to keep a temporary marquee any longer after more than 90 local residents objected.

The marquee was erected at Solihull Central Masjid in 2020 to allow for socially-distanced prayers during the pandemic. Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) planners later said the marquee would have to come down as it was considered inappropriate development in the green belt.

But the Warwick Road place of worship went on to win an appeal with the planning inspectorate noting the "community and social need for the development" and found "very special circumstances exist to justify the temporary planning permission".

As the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported last year Solihull Central Masjid was given permission for another year in February.

That ran out early this year, leading to an application for a further 12 months being lodged with the authority.

When the application came before the latest meeting of SMBC's planning committee Cllr Josh O'Nyons 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."

Objector Stephen Hollowood, who said he was representing residents, showed slides of the highways issues he said was their "biggest complaint", claiming it was being caused by the additional parking of those using the marquee.

The public gallery was packed full of residents who applauded both speakers.

Cllr Max McLoughlin then said he did not dismiss residents' concerns over the traffic issues, but said some of it would be coming from the Brueton Park run on Saturdays.

He added: "The inspector allowed the appeal for a reason – the community, accessibility and equality benefits clearly outweighed the limited harm."

And Amelia Cary from planning agents Claremont Planning explained: "The application for a permanent building has been subject to significant delays in receiving consultee responses such as 14 months to receive ecology comments.

"The marquee ensures the local community has access to safe and accessible prayer space until a permanent solution is secured."

In the committee's debate a number of councillors raised the highways issues but officers pointed out the council's highways team had raised no objection.

Cllr Michael James said: "This is a major route, why is it not considered a highways risk?"

Officer Herman Lai replied the impact was not considered to be "severe enough" to raise an objection.

Cllr James said: "Let's say there is a 999 call, that call is someone having a heart attack, is it not a highways concern?

"I wanted to give food for thought."

Cllr James Bradley said: "I think it is pretty clear we have got concerns about peak parking pressures at particular times of the week."

When it was put to the vote the committee voted unanimously to refuse the application at the meeting held at the Civic Suite on October 21.