MUSLIM leaders have submitted plans for a community centre next to their controversial mosque.

Building work is close to completion on the £1.5 million building, in Regent Road, Hanley.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council officials angered some residents when they agreed to lease the site to the Muslim community for a peppercorn rent of just £1 a year, even though experts valued the site as worth up to £1 million.

The fact that the plans included a community centre to benefit all residents, as well as a mosque for Muslim worship was the main reason the council gave for allowing the deal to go ahead.

But some councillors and residents had expressed concerns the community centre would never materialise once the mosque was built.

In that case the deal allowed the council to terminate the lease or sell the land for £72,000 if there is no community centre by 2011.

Now that plans for the community centre have been submitted for planning approval, project leaders hope controversy will die down and the community can look forward to using the new facilities.

Rana Tufail, director of the Islamic Centre and co-ordinator of the Regent Road development, said: "We have discussed these plans with the council and are taking it step by step.

"First we need to get planning permission then start looking for funding for the building work.

"Donations have slowed due to the credit crunch, but we are convinced we will get it built within the five-year limit.

"The community centre will be designed for everyone in the community and we will be encouraging people to come and use it. We want it to be a multi-cultural environment.

"The mosque will also be available for school visits and anyone is welcome to come in and see what Muslim worship is about.

"At the moment plans for the whole site are coming along very satisfactorily."

The plans for the single-storey community centre show four meeting rooms, one office and a large multi-purpose hall with kitchen area and toilets.

It is hoped educational and recreational courses, such as IT will be run from the centre as well as a crèche, counselling suites and drop-in sessions run by voluntary groups.

The report to planners states: "The intention is to create a community focal point that will meet the diverse needs of the area. The aim is to provide an excellent range and quality of facilities that will be valued by the community.

"Ease of use by all potential users, including disabled people, parents and toddlers, older and younger people, is considered an essential element of breaking down language and cultural barriers."

Councillors will consider the plans in the next few weeks.

Councillor Roger Ibbs, who was chairman of the taskforce set up to oversee the deal, said: "People said it would never happen, but I'm really pleased the Muslim community has now demonstrated how much they want to be involved in the wider community by putting in these plans with no pushing."