Jainism charity seeks to use listed Slough building for prayers

A charity wants to use the Old Barn on Cippenham Lane for religious activities

Residents have objected to a religious group's plans to use a Grade II listed building for prayers and rituals.

The Old Barn in Slough is being purchased by Acharya Shri Vidyasagar Digambar Jain Charitable Trust, a planning application states.

The building, dating to the 17th Century, has been vacant since 2019.

Those objecting to the plans raised concerns about noise and traffic. The charity has a "limited number of followers", the application said.

The charity belongs to a sect of the Indian religion Jainism called Digambar.

Jainism teaches "how to live a peaceful lifestyle" and that "the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation", the application added.

The proposed hours of use at the building on Cippenham Lane are Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 10:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, and 07:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.

Two applications were required to be submitted, one for a change of use and a second for listed building consent, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A Slough Borough Council officer said the plan could be considered acceptable "in principle" as it would "attract positive weight in terms of a future use and upkeep of the listed building" but noted concerns over the potential impact on local amenities and highways, LDRS said.

But some nearby residents have objected to the plans saying they were not provided with a consultation period, and others raised concerns over an increase in traffic and noise.

One called it "an absolute disgrace" that the application was being considered and another said a temple less than half a mile away could "possibly facilitate" the group.

The council said the applications would be "determined on their merits in due course".