Mosque plan: ‘waiting over’ (From Dudley News)

Mosque plan: ‘waiting over’

3:20pm Wednesday 15th September 2010 in Local

DUDLEY'S Muslim leaders claim they "have waited long enough" as they announce plans to apply for full planning permission for a controversial new mosque and community centre.

Dr Khurshid Ahmed, chairman of the Dudley Muslim Association (DMA), said the group would be pressing ahead for full permission for the Hall Street site, after Dudley Council bosses left them no alternative.

Dudley Council announced in May it had been working closely with the DMA for the past year to find a site for the mosque other than Hall Street, which was still earmarked as prime employment land in the town’s unitary development plan.

It was claimed then that plans would focus on a redevelopment of the current outdated Castle Hill mosque, although this was soon ruled out.

Council officers have since suggested the empty Gala Bingo building opposite the mosque, but Dr Ahmed said the DMA did not support the idea and had "decided they preferred Hall Street".

Dr Ahmed said because the council had failed to come up with "an alternative viable site", it had left them no choice but to go with their original plans, which received outline planning permission on appeal from the High Court.

Dr Ahmed said: "We have tried to avoid building in Hall Street, but the council promised to find us an alternative and they have not been able to do that and we have waited long enough.

"We are disappointed, but we only have until July to start something on the site and with all the formalities that we have to go through, we will run out of time if we don't start soon."

The chairman said amicable discussions were still ongoing with the council, which was still searching for an alternative site and the DMA would consider any further suggestions.

However councillor Anne Millward, leader of the council, said she "disappointed" to hear DMA's plans, as the Gala Bingo site would have provided a suitable location.

Cllr Millward said: "Talks seemed to be very amicable so I was rather disappointed to hear this news.

"Everyone knows we lost the High Court appeal, but since then, we have been working very hard with the DMA to find somewhere else.

"A redevelopment of Castle Hill was always something we wanted to pursue with them, and as far as we were concerned, they were happy with this.

"And we did suggest Gala Bingo as that is empty, and wouldn't actually cost them that much to purchase.

"But everyone has the right to put in planning permission, they own the land, but I support the original planning committee's decision – that is prime employment land."

Dr Ahmed confirmed the DMA is currently tendering for architects to redesign the Hall Street project, as they aim for something "to blend in with the area".

He said: "We don't want a huge minaret, the last design was taken all out of proportion.

“It was not the actual design and was used by some political parties as scaremongering tactics. I would be concerned if there was a minaret bigger than Top Church.

"We are keeping open the doors and the dialogue with the council, but our intention is to proceed with Hall Street unless the council can find us another site."