New mosque plan for Black Country

A new mosque and community centre could be built in the Black Country under plans revealed today.

A petition in support of the scheme has been received for land off Dartmouth Street in West Bromwich.

Sandwell Council has received the 326-signature petition from the West Bromwich Bangladesh Muslim Welfare Association and Islamic Centre, stating land at Dartmouth Street and Chapman Street is their preferred site for the scheme.

The group is currently based in a former pub in Dartmouth Street, but reckon the building is no longer suitable.

The land, which is bordered by Oak Road and Oak Lane was compulsory purchased by the council in 2005, when all 210 properties on the site were demolished. But the council has already set the land aside for residential use.

Part of the site will be developed as an extra care scheme, relocated from its planned site in Coppice Street.

In the petition members of the association state that current centre caters for more than 150 members, but that during Eid and Friday prayers the numbers sometime reach between 300 to 500.

Councillor Mahboob Hussain said about the scheme: "We will be looking at the petition and officers will be investigating and preparing a report."