A DOME on a mosque in Blackburn will remain after securing retrospective planning permission last night.

The fibreglass structure, on the roof of Masjid-E-Saliheen mosque, in Didsbury Street, was put up without planning consent.

Last night a retrospective application was considered by Blackburn with Darwen Council planning committee.

Presenting a petition including more than 1,000 signatures to the committee, a resident said the dome ‘dominated the skyline’.

The application, which officers had recommended should be approved, divided the committee.

Conservative Jackie Slater hit out at retrospective applications for permission, which are allowed under planning rules, branding the dome ‘so unsightly’.

Labour's Yusuf Jan Virmani said a change of colour could be considered.

His party colleague Soli Khonat said: “The mosque should have spoken to the residents.”

But an application should not be refused because it is retrospective, he said.

The application was approved in a tight vote, with most Labour councillors voting in favour.

The Lancashire Telegraph posted live updates from the meeting last night. Click on the link below to replay the event.