Plans approved for new Sikh temple in Sunderland to cater for needs of religion's large community in city

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee have backed proposals from the Sunderland Sikh Association for a site off Ryhope Road in the Ashbrooke area.

According to information submitted to council officials, the association has a membership of around 1,000 families and previously refurbished the interior of the former Christ Church to be used as a community centre.

New plans sought permission to demolish an existing Gurdwara building, a place of worship based in a former Nissen hut on the site, and to build a larger Gurdwara in its place.

Application details said the proposed Gurdwara would be able to “cater for the present and future needs of the Sikh community” by providing a range of bespoke spaces together with “appropriate ancillary rooms”.

Those behind the scheme added the plans would provide a “more modern, larger and more energy efficient building” for use by organisations and community groups and for events including weddings and celebrations.

The plans were discussed by members of the Planning and Highways Committee at a crunch meeting on Monday, March 6, at City Hall.

During the planning hearing, a representative spoke on behalf of Park Hall residents and owners nearby who had raised concerns about the proposed plans.

This included concerns about increased parking demand and historic issues with anti-social behaviour linked to events.

Council highways officers, responding, noted the development would include a one-way system seeing vehicles enter from Mowbray Road and exit onto Ryhope Road, as well as plans to increase the number of on-site parking spaces from 22 to 33.

Councillor Melanie Thornton, chair of the Planning and Highways Committee, advised that historic antisocial behaviour was not something councillors could consider as a planning matter.

Cllr Thornton noted that Northumbria Police had not raised any objection to the Gurdwara planning application as a consultee.

Council planning 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.

It was noted that any heritage impacts would be “minimal” and outweighed by the benefits to the Sikh Community and wider community.

After being put to the vote, the plans won unanimous support from city councillors.

Councillor Graeme Miller, vice-chair of the Planning and Highways Committee, said: “I do understand residents’ concerns because we all live in communities.

“I do agree with the chair’s comments about the historical issues however and given the officer’s comments regarding the highways matters I still think that the [planning] officer recommendation should be supported.

“It will, I have no doubt, add to the cultural and religious diversity of the city and I think that has to be warmly applauded moving forward”.

Cllr Thornton also welcomed the application and said: “I think that the facilities that [the Sikh Community] are using need to be improved.

“There is a large community within Sunderland and we’re grateful that they’re here and want the community to continue to be in Sunderland”.

Councillor Antony Mullen added he supported the concerns of residents around parking and asked if council officers could do “spot visits” in future to check that people aren’t parking on single yellow lines.

Under planning conditions, the Gurdwara development needs to be brought forward within three years.