THE leader of Dudley Muslim Association has spoken out in support of Dudley Council’s plans to find an alternative site for their new mosque.

Khurshid Ahmed, chairman of the DMA, was speaking a week after council leaders Anne Millward and Les Jones announced that plans for a mosque to be built on disused land in Hall Street had been scrapped.

The leaders said they had been working closely with the DMA for the last 12 months, showcasing various option packages and were committed in pursuing plans to develop a mosque at a location other than Hall Street, which was still ear marked as prime employment land in the town’s Unitary Development Plan.

Plans are now being focussed around redeveloping the existing Castle Hill mosque, which could mean a complete rebuilding of it.

And Dr Ahmed confirmed the DMA were happy to explore this alternative way forward.

He said: “It is now important the DMA and the council continue to work closely together to ensure the new proposal is deliverable and that Dudley does not become a focus for extremism in any form.

“The Muslim community have always re g arded themselves as an integral part of Dudley’s wider community and will always work with the council and other stakeholders to secure peace, progress and prosperity for all the citizens of Dudley.”

Council Leader Anne Millward said: “It is the Hall Street location that has caused concer n for local people and indeed there have been no issues around any of the existing mosques that have been in Dudley for many years.

“I’m sure local people will not respond to outside organisations, who certainly do not have the future of Dudley or its community at heart.”

However, the new plans have been met with reservations by anti-mosque campaigner Councillor Malcolm Davis.

He said he was “delighted common sense had prevailed with the Hall Street plans” but still had concerns over building on the current site, saying all plans should be in keeping with the area.