New Sunderland Sikh temple plans approved by council

CGI image of the Gurdwara in Sunderland which will be "more modern, larger and energy-efficient"

Plans for a larger, greener Sikh temple have been given the go-ahead.

Sunderland City Council has backed proposals from the Sunderland Sikh Association for the site off Ryhope Road in the Ashbrooke area.

Residents in the area had raised concerns about demand for parking and historical anti-social behaviour linked to previous events.

However, planning officers said police had not raised any objections and parking spaces would be increased.

The association, which has 1,000 member families, plans to demolish an existing Gurdwara building, a place of worship, and build a larger one.

Application details said the proposed Gurdwara would "cater for the present and future needs of the Sikh community" by providing bespoke spaces.

It is also proposed the building would be "more modern, larger and energy-efficient" for events including weddings and celebrations, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Parking to increase

A meeting of the council's planning and highways committee heard that a one-way system would be created for vehicles to enter from Mowbray Road and exit on to Ryhope Road to ease congestion.

The number of on-site parking spaces will also increase from 22 to 33.

Councillor Melanie Thornton, chair of the committee, advised that historic anti-social behaviour was not something councillors could consider as a planning matter.

She also said Northumbria Police had not raised any objection to the application as a consultee.

Officers, who recommended the scheme for approval, said the temple's design had been amended to help improve its architectural quality and "how it sits within its historic context".

This included its visual relationship with the Grade-II listed Christ Church and its impact on the wider Ashbrooke Conservation Area.

Councillor Thornton said: "I think that the facilities that [the Sikh Community] are using need to be improved.

"There is a large community and we're grateful that they're here and want the community to continue to be in Sunderland".