Bricks fall as mosque shifts in wind

Coming Down . . . the structure after bulders removed half the brickwork.

RESIDENTS claim it was raining bricks when high winds caused part of a half-built mosque to collapse.

Ambitious plans to build the Islamic mosque and a multi-cultural teaching centre in Suffolk Street, Werneth have hit the buffers after heavy winds caused new brickwork to shift and crack.

Residents have hit out at the development saying it has been shoddily constructed with no regard for health and safety.

Constructed on a former engineering works, builders had taken down one floor of brickwork and started building two new storeys on top.

One concerned local said: “When it was windy the whole lot blew sideways about 18in and is resting precariously on the steel work.

“It could have blown the other way and gone into the road. Luckily no one was around at the time but it was raining bricks again the next day. Half of it has gone.

“It’s all hanging in the air and we are hoping it does not all collapse. I don’t think they have a lot of concern for health and safety issues.

“No one is wearing hard hats, there’s scaffolding all over the place, bricks

Workers have begun slowly taking down the brickwork.

A £270,000 appeal was launched for the Madrassa Taleemul Islam teaching centre in 2001 to kick-start the development but progress has been slow.

The aim was to create a mosque with a prayer hall and Islamic teaching centre on the ground floor, with the first floor given over to meeting and activity rooms for community groups.

It was to be available for anyone and include play areas, after-school and homework clubs and a place for people to chat over a coffee.

It’s believed the development failed to get planning permission for a new build but was successful in getting permission to modernise the existing building.

The complainant, who is an engineer, said: “The way you would do it is to knock the whole lot down and start by scratch. Then it would not have blown down in the wind. Brickwork does not blow down if it’s built properly. It’s just a complete cock-up.”

Calls to the centre for a comment went unanswered.

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure said: “Following an anonymous call, a building control officer went to investigate this site.

“There was no evidence of any bricks or masonry on the street. However, there were concerns about the state of the scaffolding that has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive which is responsible for enforcing safety in this area.

“All construction work must be carried out to the agreed standards and council building control officers will investigate all cases that are reported and enforce where necessary to ensure the safety of the public and the work force.”

Building control can be contacted on 0161-770 4103.