New deadline on mosque plan

Plans 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.