The Altrincham & Hale Muslim Association (AHMA) has withdrawn a controversial application to build a new Islamic community centre on Green Belt in Timperley.
The application to build a 2,000 sq m, two-storey building on land off Thorley Lane had been submitted in November.
The AHMA had claimed there was a “compelling and urgent need” for the new facility as the number of local Muslims has outgrown its current base on Grove Lane, with up to 500 worshippers attending the former St David’s Church centre in peak times.
The application had generated much opposition from local residents, with over 2,200 signing a petition and several hundred attending a protest outside the proposed site in October.
But Trafford Council has confirmed to us that the application has now been withdrawn.
The AHMA had claimed the land had more in common with brownfield than Green Belt land, and believes it can demonstrate the “very special circumstances” required to allow its development to go ahead.
On a new website set up to present the case for the community centre, it said its self-funded project will “remediate the site, provide significant landscaping and improve the openness of the land”.
We’ve made attempts to speak to representatives of the AHMA to find out reasons for the withdrawal and whether they have another site in mind. We will update the story when we’ve spoken to them.
