Plans to convert vacant church into temple refused

Proposals for the site on Wood End Road included extensions

Plans to convert a vacant church into a Sikh temple have been turned down by a council, due to the number of parking spaces and the "expected level of noise".

Proposals for the site, which was previously used as Wednesfield Methodist Church in Wolverhampton, included a single-storey extension at the front and back.

The proposed development on Wood End Road would provide five off-street parking spaces, "which fails to meet its own transportation needs", the council said.

Miri Piri Afghan Sangat Charitable Trust did not want to comment to the BBC about the refusal.

Proposals also included increasing the ridge height of an existing extension at the back and "boundary treatment" to the rear.

Plans for 10 cycle spaces featured in an application published in April.

'Unacceptable levels'

The council said the number of parking spaces in the planned development failed to meet the transport needs for the temple, "particularly given the capacity of the building being 150".

This would lead to on-street parking "resulting in an unacceptable detrimental impact to pedestrian safety and the safe and free flow of road traffic", the authority added.

"It would adversely affect the amenity of nearby residents."

Because of expected levels of noise and activity associated with people coming and going and "by virtue of the established residential character and proximity of" properties, it would "give rise to unacceptable levels" of disturbance.

This would result in "a detrimental impact on the residential amenity which nearby residents should be able to continue to enjoy", the council said.

It added if "you are aggrieved by the decision of your local planning authority to refuse permission for the proposed development or to grant it subject to conditions, then you can appeal to the Secretary of State".