New deadline on mosque plan

Sunday 27th April 2008, 9:50AM BST.

Dudley mosquePlans for a mosque which have sparked thousands of protests will be scuppered unless the building has been “substantially” built by the end of the year, it emerged today.

A deal struck between Dudley Council and Dudley Muslim Association means the multi-million pound scheme to build a mosque and community centre must be nearing completion by the end of 2008. If not, Dudley Council which originally owned the land in Hall Street and sold it to the DMA in 2001, will legally be able to buy back the site.

It was revealed today the Muslim association had asked the council to extend the deadline but this was refused.

Leader of the council David Caunt said: “There was an agreement by the then controlling Labour council when it sold the land to the association that the mosque would have to be substantially built by the end of 2008.

“It was agreed if this did not happen the council would be able to buy back the land at the original price plus inflation.

“We did have a request from the association to extend the deadline but this was turned down. When parties enter into a legal agreement they should expect to uphold them.

“It is the same principle as a planning application which expires after five years. If we did not stick to this we would have dozens of plots of land standing idle around the borough and this is not good from an eyesore point of view and the fact we are losing out on sites which could be developed for jobs.”

Whether or not the mosque will be built by the end of year will also depend on the outcome of a planning inquiry due to be held in June.


  1. 1
    Grant

    There appears to be a bit of a conflict of interest here, if Dudley MBC are determining the planning application. What’s to say that they won’t spin it out, or turn it down knowing that an appeal will take the matter beyond the end of the year, so they then buy the land back at cost plus inflation when land values have soared well beyond inflation since the original deal was done?

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  2. 2
    TIPTON BORN AND BRED

    why build this mosque when 95% dudley don’t want it in there town,just remember dudley folk may 1st vote these parasites out,lets build a massive church in iran,they would murder the lot of us if we did that.

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  3. 3
    phil

    no mosque whatever the cost

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  4. 4
    Frank Jones

    Surely the deadline already passed is to squash it as not wanted by the English inhabitants.

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  5. 5
    BaggieAde

    There’ll be NO mosque in dudley

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  6. 6
    Dudley Bloke

    Unfortunately for the majority of voters (lets say it again “over 22.000 voted against a Baghdad style Mosque on Dudley’s Historical Ridge) in New Labour Dictatorship the majority vote doesn’t count.

    So don’t forget in June there is “another” meeting at Dudley Council with the Government planners.

    Be there to voice your opinion.

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  7. 7
    Jimbo

    Excellent Idae.
    Build a Christian church in Iran and see hwo long it is before they firebomb it !!

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  8. 8
    jim

    Every town with a mosque seems to evaporate the traditions of all other religions, so I hope this doesn’t happen to Dudley.

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  9. 9
    Ozpat

    Typical of DMBC,

    The voting public objected to the mosque being built, this being the democratic majority yet the minority for whom this mosque will serve get the opportunity to get what they want. How the hell does that work??? I was under the impression that this was democracy in action. A resounding NO was given and the mosque was no more! The majority vote was a resounding NO NO NO how hard a concept is that for DMBC to understand or is it fear of reprisal that dictates here?

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  10. 10
    phil

    vote wisely thursday

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  11. 11
    Steven

    phil…why dont you just say BNP? Or are you too ashamed 2 admit it?

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  12. 12
    phil

    steve does that mean 22,000 people who voted against it are all members of the bnp and if i was thats my right of opinion

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  13. 13
    mad bad world!!

    makes you laugh!! our english churches are suffering, relying on charity to stay open and running while mosques are being built everywhere!!!
    what a mad bad world this is!!!

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  14. 14
    Ozpat

    Steven,

    This has nothing to do with BNP or anything else of that nature. What I have realised over the recent years is that the do-gooders and PC brigade ( sound like the cap fits here) will jump right onto this kind of thing to maintain their crusade. Shouting out the “2 ashamed to admit” slogan or pointing the accusing and judgmental “racist” finger at those who disagree with them. At the end of the day it was not wanted in Dudley, It is still not wanted by the majority in Dudley so why not let the democratic process speak for itself! NO to the mosque.

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  15. 15
    zdk

    HA HA HA TO THE LOT OF YA

    i told ya b4 wateva u race haters say this mosque will be built no matter how long it takes or what the council trys to impose it will be built mark my words!!!……oh yeh if ur wandering im not muslim im very much british and have lived in dudley 4 most my life…..bring it on xx

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  16. 16
    Helena

    zdk… Race haters? Thats a very unpleasant thing to write isnt it? Just because I dont want a to see a mosque on the skyline of Dudley or because i dont want the call to prayer to interupt and disturb my day 6 times a day does not make me a race hater – it makes me the person that does not want a mosque in dudley!
    You however appear to be inciting racial hatred and that is illegal in this country, you’d think you know that living in dudley most of your life wouldnt you?…
    ‘No matter what it takes’… Very intersting words zdk…

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  17. 17
    J Stackhouse

    We dont want another mosque in the Dudley area.They have enough places of worship in Dudley and surrounding areas. 22,000 people signed petitions against it.Why should 98% non muslims have to have a huge mosque just so that the 2% muslims get thier own way.They should remember Britain still is democracy.

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  18. 18
    Jason Archer

    Who cares what you think!!
    1stly ITS NOT YOUR 18million, or the governments, its money raised by muslims.

    2ndly the land was bought fairly.Its not FOR US!! its for Muslims, they paying for it

    3rdly If you bought some land, from your own money, and paid for building your own house, will the locals or the Government stop you from doing so? No didnt think so..Rejects.

    WAKE UP RACISTS!! oh you might not be racists though,as your entitled to your freedom of speech..SO!! keep your opinions..LOOOL

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  19. 19
    peats

    i am a very non judgementle and accepting Dudley resident and i am sick of hearing that because i am opposed to the mosque being built that i am a racist.this is not the case, i am opposed to the huge scale of the building and how this will dominate the local area.There are already mosques situated in Smethwick, Oldbury which is only about five miles away.There are no other places of worship in the area on such a huge towering scale.Why cant the mosque be built on a smaller scale taking into consideration the views and concerns of local residents without calling us racists?

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