MEMBERS of the Lye Ghausia Mosque and Welfare Association have applied to buy the car park situated behind Londis convenience store in the High Street.

The bid is being led by Lye councillor and mosque member Mohammed Hanif who confirmed: "The car park is currently owned by Dudley Council but is currently in considerable disrepair.

"I'm looking to arrange a meeting between local traders, council officials and the mosque to see what can be done.

"We've reached a situation where the community using the mosque has grown so much in recent years, that the car parking available is now insufficient, even taking into consideration the car parks on the opposite side of the High Street.

"The mosque is used by people from all over the area, such as Stourbridge, Wollescote and Colley Gate and we regularly reach around 250 people attending Friday prayers, which leaves the car parks flooded.

"We need a consultation meeting with everybody involved - but whatever happens, the car park needs to be improved and maintained as it's in quite a poor state at the moment."

Philip Tart, Dudley's strategic director for resources and transformation, said: “We have received an enquiry from members of Lye Mosque about a council-owned car park in High Street, Lye, although no formal offer to buy the land has been submitted. We are currently considering the approach.”