How new Sunderland Sikh temple could look as decision date on plans approaches

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee are expected to discuss proposals from the Sunderland Sikh Association for a site near 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 are seeking permission to demolish an existing Gurdwara, a place of worship based in a former Nissen hut on the site, and to build a larger Gurdwara in its place.

The proposed two-storey building, if approved, would have a gross floor area of 892 square metres and would be around 17 metres high.

It would also include three “dome features” on the front elevation, with the central dome being the largest.

Application details state 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 say 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.

Circulation of vehicles within the site would be altered with a one-way system seeing vehicles enter from Mowbray Road and exit onto Ryhope Road, as well as plans to increase the number of parking spaces from 22 to 33.

As part of the scheme, minor works are also proposed to the former Christ Church to “create a wider opening to the west elevation and remove a door to the east elevation, and internal alterations to add partitions to the vestry”.

During public consultation on the original plans, a number of objections were submitted from residents of Park Hall flats, as well as some residents from The Elms and the Sunderland Civic Society.

Concerns ranged from impacts on local listed buildings and the local conservation area to increased traffic, parking issues and increased noise.

However Sunderland City Council’s planning department have deemed the final amended scheme acceptable and recommended it for approval.

A report prepared for decision-makers states the Gurdwara building would “provide an enhanced community facility” within a sustainable location.

Although it was acknowledged that the scheme would cause heritage impacts, council planning officers said harm would be “minimal” and would be outweighed by the benefits to the Sikh Community and wider community.

A council committee report states: “It is considered that the public benefits set out by the applicant would provide genuine benefits to both the Sikh community, as well as benefits to the wider community.

“Given that the harm to the Grade-II listed Christ Church and the Ashbrooke Conservation Area would be minimal (as advised by the council’s conservation team), it is considered that in the planning balance, the public benefits of the proposed development would be sufficient to outweigh the ‘minimal’ degree of ‘less than substantial harm’.

“The proposal would also cause no other unacceptable impacts in relation to visual amenity.

“It is recommended that conditions be attached to any planning permission, as suggested by the council’s conservation officer, to ensure that the exact materials of the proposed Gurdwara and the landscaping scheme are acceptable at this sensitive location”.

During consultation on the plans, no objections to the scheme were raised by key council departments including environmental health and the local highway authority.

A final decision on the plan rests with councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee, who will next meet on Monday, March 6, at City Hall.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 5.30pm and will be open to the public.