Abbasi Islamic Centre Project

Dear Community Members,

Salaamun Alaykum and Khushali Mubarak!

Alhamdulillah over the last few months we have managed to achieve a few milestones and I shall cover that in this update, along with providing information on what is planned. I wish to thank all those who have provided us with support and feedback throughout.

We have completed the first phase of the project, as many of you have seen, the mezzanine floor offers the Community additional and much-needed space. I will share the final costings of this at the upcoming AGM, but the feedback from various factions of the Community has been positive and I would like to thank people for the kind words.

WF Capital Projects Process

One of the key pledges I made was to follow the World Federation Capital Projects Process and an AGM motion of notice passed ensured that this was something the Community wanted the Building Committee to complete. This was a mammoth task as The World Federation (WF) requires a significant amount of information including a detailed needs analysis, costings and fundraising plans. The document that we submitted was 136 pages in total which gives you an idea of the level of detail that is required. It took the Building Committee months to compile.

Compiling the document was only one of the steps involved. We also had several meetings with the Office Bearers and Capital Projects team at CoEJ who were responsible for analysing the detail of the document that we submitted. With their guidance and feedback, we were able to improve upon the document that we originally submitted. This revised document and our plans were subsequently presented at the Extraordinary CoEJ Executive Council Meeting, which was held at our very own Abbasi Islamic Centre in November.

At the meeting, the project was scrutinised by the Councillors. One of the key points that came up was regarding financial feasibility. In response, we explained the approach that we are pursuing whereby we have divided the project into phases to ensure that we do not overstretch ourselves as a Community. This was praised by the Councillors who stated that a phased approach was unique and ensured financial responsibility. When requesting the CoEJ Councillors to call the meeting, our objective was to obtain Agreement in Principle to pursue phase 2 of our project i.e. the multipurpose hall that is to be built on the site of Mr Clutch. Alhamdulillah, when it came to voting, this was passed unanimously.

WF Council Meeting in Reunion

Salaam Alaykum,

Please click on the file below for MAP Call for Expression of Interest

  MAP Call for Expression of Interest

Response to:
KSIMC Building Committee,
c/o Jamaat Office,
No later than 17.00 hours on 18th March 2016.

Contact details:
Jamaat Office, KSIMC, 17 Clifton Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, B12 8SX

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Following on from the update that we gave last month, we have been in discussions with the Council regarding the planning application for the new centre. Overall, the planning officer who is dealing with our case has stated that the plans are “acceptable in principle”. However, the Council have asked us to resubmit the planning application for the following reasons:

1. The drawings have changed significantly since we submitted them and so by law they have to go out to consultation in the local area once again.
2. The application had been submitted more than 13 weeks ago.

Based on the advice of the planning consultant and the architect, the Committee has decided to agree to the Council’s request to withdraw the application and resubmit.

I would like to reassure the Community that we confident that planning permission will be obtained InshAllah. We felt that it was better to continue with the approach of working with the Council rather than digging our heels in and resisting their request.

Once the application is resubmitted, the Council have verbally informed us that they will aim to make a decision within 8-9 weeks rather than the standard 13 weeks. In addition, the Council have confirmed that the resubmission will not cost the Community any extra money. A brief summary of the changes is as follows:

• The original plans that were submitted showed Mr Clutch as an overflow hall for majlis. As mentioned at the AGM, the updated plans show Mr Clutch as multipurpose hall that can be used for sports as well as majlis. We are also planning on having a space for a sports café where people will be able to watch football, cricket etc. on big screens InshAllah.

Figure 1: Proposed front elevation of multipurpose sports facility and sports cafe

Figure 2: Internal layout of sports hall will allow for 1 volleyball court or 2 badminton court or 5-aside football.

The Prospect Place site (the industrial units to the left of the centre as you drive in) has now been included in planning application in order to help us to buy it from the Council. The Council wanted to see plans for the Cave site included as part of the current planning application as they were part of the original pre-application submission. Normally, adding such plans into the application would have cost the Community but they have allowed us to include the plans for free.

Figure 3: Proposed building on Cave site (later phase).

Thanks for taking the time to read the update. Please remember the project in your prayers during this blessed Month.

In the name of Allah SWT, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful

Mehfil-e-Abbas Project

The Building Committee has been meeting regularly over the last few months working closely with the Architects and Surveyors to discuss the progress of the Mehfil-E-Abbas Project. K4 Architects and the planning consultants that we have engaged have had numerous meetings with the planners. The project has been dissected meeting by meeting. The Architects have been taking the advice of the planners and making amendments. By taking this approach, though more time consuming, it has put our project in a much more likely position to get planning permission. Progress has been steady in this regard. The expansion will add so much to the local area and the Birmingham City Council have been carefully considering the plan. Like all of you the Building Committee waits in anticipation for the result. Please keep the project in your prayers and InshAllah we will get approval.

Former Al-Mahdi Institute Building