Campaigners have set up a crisis group to plan a fresh attack on proposals to build an £18 million mosque in Dudley.
Malcolm Davis, former councillor for St James’ ward, says his phone has been ringing off the hook with residents complaining about the planning inspector’s decision to overturn the council’s rejection of the scheme.
The authority had thrown out the plans to create a mosque and community centre on derelict land in Hall Street.
The matter will now go to a public inquiry in June.
Mr Davis said public feeling against the mosque was just as strong as when the proposals originally emerged. Some 70 petitions containing more than 22,000 signatures were handed to the council from people protesting against the plans but Mr Davis said he was unsure if a further petition was the best way forward.
“I have had a lot of phone calls about this – dozens of them – and people have approached me in the street wanting to know what we can do. Everybody is worried and angry,” he said.
“We have set up a working party and I will be asking everybody who wants to object to the mosque plan to turn up that night for the hearing, even if it brings the town to a complete standstill. Imagine if 15,000 people, which was near the amount of signatures we had last time, turned up.
“That would be a showing of our strength and our resolve on this issue, and that’s what I want.”
Mr Davis has blasted the inspectorate’s decision to refer the plan to a public inquiry as “a coward’s way out”.
He said: “I’m adamant the people of Dudley don’t want that thing there and people ought to respect their wishes.
“I think it’s a disgrace that anybody from outside can overturn our council’s decision – they don’t have to live next to it when it’s built. It will destroy the concept of a lovely medieval market town.” Chairman of the Dudley Muslim Association Khurshid Ahmed has said he is hopeful the mosque plans will go ahead.
An inspector appointed by the Secretary of State will attend the hearing which will be held at Dudley Council House.
Dudley Council spokeswoman Katherine Finney pledged the inquiry would be open to members of the public.
The original plans were thrown out last February after a concerted protest campaign which was described by Councillor David Caunt, the leader of Dudley Council, as “the biggest in living memory”.
Malcolm Davis described the rejection as a “victory for the people” – while Mr Ahmed condemned it as “the death of democracy”.
24 Comments
Death of democracy? How can Mr Ahmedn call is death of democracy? This is exactly what deomocracy is all about - the will of the majority being respected over the self-interests of some minority pressure group. Malcom Davis should have all the support we can give him. 22,000 thousand people cannot be wrong - yet again the powers than be are pandering to the ideals of multi-culturalism, and just because some groups screams racism, the rest of us have to suffer. It is destorying our town, destroying this country and driving ordinary people into total despair. When will anyone have to guts to stand up to any group that gets its own way simply by accusing he rest of us of being racist? Mr Ahmed, the planning inspectorate and the Government are an absolute disgrace. And the day he wants to lecture us about democracy is the day that this country is no longer worth living in. Go to Baghdad or Pakistan, Mr Ahmed, and see democracy in action there!
how many more mosques do we need ? what is really needed is somewhere for the children on our streets to go to like youthclubs to try and keep them out of trouble surely that would be more beneficial for dudley than yet another mosque and lets remember that all of our futures lie within there hands so buld something for them
voting again soon remember at the ballot box and i dont mean the three main parties because they will sail us down the river
Hi speaking as an Non- Muslim asian, i totally agree with all the above views, I do not see the need for £18 million worth of Government & lottery funding to be used this way. Im not racist but are these not the same folks that want there own Sharia Law in this Country??????? Are these not the same people who promote extremist behaviour????????? I feel the money would be better spent improving the schooling in Dudley and providing the future of this country with better learning facilities. It really makes by blood boil……….. P.S who wants speakers blaring a call to prayer 5 times a day………. I know i don’t!!!!!!!!
Whatever it takes to stop it. Stop it! Is there any support that can be given from outside Dudley? If there is any racism in it, then it’s coming from the racists who want to impose it against the will of the people.
The problem i have is it is just going to look like an eyesore on our historic town. What if we went to a majority populated muslim counrty and demanded we put churches everywhere especially on this sheer scale.
This is another example why i i am thinking of leaving this country SOFT TOUCH BRITAIN!!!!!
Nothing more can be said because everyone know’s the feeling against this plan from last year
What date is the hearing on?
It wants all who signed the petition last year to be at the meeting and show inspectorate how Dudley citizens DO NOT want a Baghdad style building on the historic ridge of Dudley, competing with St Thomas Church and Dudley Castle
So if it is possible on the day be there.
Isn’t something similar happening in Oxford at present ?
Someone inquired regarding the need for further mosques. Please note that every single mosque is bursting at the seams for want of space. This is true no matter what part of the world one travels to.
I cannot understand the mentality of the person who wrote: “Whatever it takes to stop it.” Why such antipathy? Why deny others the rights you would want for yourself?
I no longer in Dudley and I agree with Number 6 comments. I left the UK for exactly these reasons. Why cant MR Ahmed accept that the decision was final and that the mosque is not wanted and a democratic decision was made!!! enough is enough if you want a muslim culture with all the trappings and not have to tolerate what you interpret as “racism” because you didnt get what you want then how about you exercising you democratic rite to live in a muslim country !!! I am now an immigrant and I can tell you this sort behaviour is not acceptable here, yet we can tolerate each other. The problem is Mr Ahmed you behave like a “spoilt” child who, when you do not get what it wants throws a tantrum!! and British way has had to be to give in to it, but this time for once it has said no and you can not accept it!!!!! let the majority decide and defy the minority rule attitude of the UK!!!
well well well what can i say….. what scares everyone so much about having a religous building in the area would you all oppose a church being built there…..no i didnt think so, quite racist you all are in my opinion and theres no need for it what everone forgets is that there are a lot of muslims born in this country as like the english and everyone has the right to choose their own religion and have a place of worship in their own country!!!! eg church/mosque/temple….oh and i bet you all think im muslim well haha im not im just open minded and dont promote racism but never mind because mark my words this mosque will be built one day it may be many years from now but it will be built bring it on!!!!
take care
Where do we live Great Britain more like pathetic Britain. People who choose to live in our country should adapt and adhere to our ways and laws. At the moment we are conforming to some religons and made to feel like the miniorty and adhere to their ways and laws. This is a pharce, can the government not see what is happening. We are quickly becoming a wasteland or should I say dumping ground and people are leaving our sinking ship fast.
I cannot express anything more than whats been said in the letters, and I feel that in this democratic country of ours, the majority of people have had their say, and made lawful through their elected council,the minority who seem to have their own devious self interests, should be told to depart hence,and forget this forever more,Dudley people you attend the next meeting in your thousands,and let them know how you feel, good luck and get stuck in.
WE DONT WANT ANOTHER MOSQUE!!
You have to agree with Mr. Ahmed when he says it’s “the death of democracy”. It’s already been voted down desisively democraticaly and it’s back again for another vote, and the government is sending a representative to the meeting to see the Muslims get what they want.(what else is he there for?)
Why is there such fear about a new mosque in Dudley? This plan will redevelop an area we all know is used for drugs and other criminal activities. You would rather see a drug den, than a place of worship? I sense a great deal of Islamophobia here. Why can’t the people of Dudley open their hearts to Islam instead of rejecting it and hating something they are only told about in the tabloid press.There is more to the religion beyond what you are told in the media and you will find that we aren’t so different. We all want a better society and a safe environment for our children to grow up. We all want prosperity and we all want a solution for the social ills. Why can’t we work together? As for Mr Davis describing the mosque as a ‘thing’ well that just wreaks of hostility to me. He would would rather have a crack den than redevelopment. I would call it a ‘thing’ the way it is at the moment.
This project whether it was a mosque or some other religious buliding would give the local community a sense of pride. What is everybody scared of? Why don’t you all just say it, you hate Muslims and you don’t want us here. This makes me sad as I work hard and contribute and I am just an average person living a normal life. Yes I follow a a particular faith but why should that make me so different. I like evrybody else want the best for this area and if this Mosque will also have a community facility, then why don’t we embrace it instead of making the local Muslim community feel even more alienated.
Khurshid Ahmed’s definition of democracy, “OUR way or no way.” People wake up, this IS going to happen whether we like it or not.
I echo many of your thoughts.
WEAK PATHETIC SPINELESS DUDLEY COUNCIL!
I have not seen one rational argument why this Mosque construction should not proceed. Why is that?
I just need to comment on Nasir Hanif’s contribution. I couldnt help but notice the negativity running through your entire comment. You say we are Islamaphobic - we didnt say that -we said we dont want a Mosque in Dudley. We too want a good life, we do have laws in place for social ills - we just dont want a Mosque in Dudley. We dont want a crack den or another religious building, we have enough relegious buildings in Dudley, we could redevelope the land into something else - we just said we dont want a Mosque in Dudley. A sense of pride comes from ‘within’ a community not from a Mosque. And finally… I have to point out the words that you used in your comment that no one else has - in all that I have read on this comment page, they are: Fear, Islamaphobic, rejecting, hating, hostility, scared, hate Muslims and alienated… Not really very positive words are they? You Sir, judged each and everyone one of us because we dared to give our opinion - but no one else’s comments use such aggresive wording… I rest my case! I do not want a Mosque encroaching on my Buddhist life - thank you!
firstly in response to some comments i’m of Pakistani origin where there are many magnificent churches, i’m born and brought up in this country i call home, worked hard over 20 years as have most of my family paid my taxes, hav’nt demanded sharia law (my favourate story as a child was 3 little pigs) currently working as a taxi driver some evenings i pick up good Christian white passengers who enjoy calling me a taliban (as someone who has 3 cousins in the Pakistani army fighting on the Afghan border i find it offensive as calling one of your elders who served during world war 2 a nazi)these passengers admit to being unemployed and loving it some single mums and absent fathers, talking to their parents with the same respect as they would to strangers, proud of how much they can drink and smoke. Taking a drive thru Kates Hill i see the church where we’d go to carol service St Johns closed other churches have there gates locked to stop good little Christian children from indulging in various activities on holy ground , in the Christian Medieval town centre we now have a lapdancing club , sex shops numerous fast food outlets hoodie teens(majority white)roaming as if they owned the town. It seems as Muslims we are good enough to pick you up in our taxis, feed you in our restaraunts, serve you in our shops, cure you as doctors but we are not allowed a place to worship and maybe even reach out to other communities, the extremist’s shown in the media(i wouldnt class them as Muslim’s)are no more representative of Islam as the likes the soho nail bomber(or any of his other bnp chums)or any other white supremacist is of the white majority of the UK. Of course with anything there are genuine concerns as there are with any such proposal’s. Dudley has had a mosque for over 30 years and there are many there many Sikh and Hindu temples in the area. Anti-Islamic comments in the media havnt helped.
To all you pro mosque supporters who have posted.It has nothing to do with what you worship , its the sheer scale of this project. Our heritage is already fast dissapearing around the country so why should another non christian building go up and dominate one side of the dudley skyline.
The site should be used as the contract instructs for industrial use to create 100s of jobs for the community or failing that a community centre that has no religious connections and can be enjoyed by everyone and surely this would be a better idea to bring different faiths together.
You know, If you wish to live in Holland you HAVE to learn the language in order to stay there. Holland have places that you have to attend to learn Dutch and if you dont learn the language you are not allowed to stay… Maybe the 80 million pounds of govenment funded and lottery funded money - therefore tax and pleasure money paid by the people of this country, allocated for the Mosque would be better used setting up an English language centre in Dudley so that people wishing to live in this area, can learn to speak the English language, and then they will not feel like the ‘outsiders’ they make them selves feel by not learning to speak the main language of this country, the country they have chosen to live in… Does anybody think this is a better idea?
Salaam Native Brits must learn to live and co-exist with those who are different. The first wave of Muslim migrants arrived with a faith, languages and cultures. Muslim communities needs Masajid for worship and for the religious education of their children. Muslim community needs state funded Muslim schools with bilingual teachers as role models. There are hundreds of state schools where Muslim pupils are in majority, in my opinion, all such schools may be designated as Muslim community schools.
Muslim communities first and foremost need to learn to speak English which the the spoken language of this country, and yes there are areas where Muslim pupils are the majority but they are still in England and in the English education system, if you want a school that is designated A Muslim Community schools then you need to go to your mother country where Muslim community schools are the norn instead of continually trying to split Britain up into parts of little Islam, and your childrens religious education needs can be met at home. The native brits have learned to live and co-exist with those who choose to come and live in England, but it is not this country that should change to accomodate - it is the people moving here to live that should be learning to co-exist and live our way of life - not the other way around.