Shree Swaminarayan Temple Willesden, established over 42 years ago and one of the largest Hindu temples in London, plan an exiting project to upgrade its facilities to accommodate the needs of a thriving community.
The plans include the provision for extra car parking spaces within the compound, which will help alleviate pressure on local roads and help prevent the community from parking too far to attend for regular prayers. The plans also include an elderly care home, and an extension to the current temple to provide extra essential facilities for the community.
The Temple has been working hard for four years to get the plans underway but have come through several road blocks, mainly from selected neighbours who do not approve of the Temple.
With the car park being the main issue, Kanji Jesani, Temple planning committee member said: "We have worked hard in trying to work with residents, to listen to their concerns and have addressed them.
“We have, on a weekly basis, addressed the congregation to keep residents in mind when parking on the local roads and ensure we park appropriately. We've also worked with the council to double yellow sections of the road i.e. outside the temple and corners of roads to ensure easy and safe traffic flow.
“The Temple is investing in the car park to accommodate the current community and to keep residents happy. Its a win win situation, and to be honest we have many residents that support us, so its hard to understand why the objections are still aggressively put forward by these selected few.
“The Temple is also under going a process with consultants to develop travel plans to help reduce the number of cars to the temple during peak periods."
Selected members of the residents have also put forward other points rejecting the plans which the temple have addressed. The Temple have employed independent surveyors to provide relevant reports all of which is openly available for all to view on Brent councils website and address all concerns.
With the Temple having received comments such as 'Temple looks ugly' 'temple numbers should be reduced and move the public elsewhere' 'why cant you send the old people to the new old peoples home down the road', 'the temple has been nothing but a burden to the community' its hard to ignore the fact that the Temple is being victimised.
Manji Hirani, President of the Temple, said: "We don't see this as commercial experiment, this is an investment to accommodate and provide the needs of our existing community and to ensure its thriving future.
“The elderly home provides specialist care which our community demands where other elderly care homes cannot provide. I know the Hindu community has supported us during this process and I encourage you to continue to stand by us especially when we are being unfairly and quite aggresively victimised."
The Council Planning Meeting is scheduled for 5th July, 2016, at Brent Civic Centre at 7pm.
A large number of people are expected to congregate and the Hindu community members are urged to come and show their support.
