Neighborhood centre housing temple bought to Islamic charity in UK, Peterborough metropolis council guarantees different
A row has erupted whilst a court docket listening to has concluded over the Peterborough Metropolis Council’s resolution to promote a group complicated that it owns, which has housed a Hindu temple since 1986, to the UK Islamic Mission (UKIM).
Council chief Shabina Qayyum acknowledged “nervousness throughout the Hindu group” and stated officers are exploring different premises. She stated the the Bharat Hindu Samaj (BHS) temple belief “won’t be left with out a dwelling”. Each events within the case — the BHS belief and the UKIM — have stated the dispute shouldn’t be a contest between faiths, however a problem to the council’s decision-making course of.
The New England Advanced, which the federal government owns, has been utilized by BHS since 1986. The temple was arrange by Hindu households who arrived in Britain after being expelled from Uganda by dictator Idi Amin in 1972, and at the moment serves an estimated 14,000 individuals from throughout Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire, the native complement of The Telegraph has reported.
Town council’s cupboard agreed on December 16, 2025, to promote the complicated to the very best bidder, as a part of a wider plan to deal with the council’s roughly £500-million debt. The choice was referred again for a re-evaluation however the cupboard nonetheless confirmed the sale to the UKIM on February 10, 2026, on its half, the BBC reported.
The UKIM, which runs the close by Khadijah Mosque, says its current premises have been outgrown after practically 40 years, and plans to construct what it describes as a “unity centre” on the location, together with prayer house, lecture rooms and sports activities amenities.
Bids that got here in
The BHS has stated publicly it understood a £1.3 million worth had been agreed for it to purchase the location. In court docket, the council’s barrister put BHS’s formal bid at £900,000 in money plus £504,000 in assessed “social worth” for its group work, towards UKIM’s £1.4 million money bid backed by proof of £5.4 million in funds. The UKIM had additionally provided to raised any rival money bid by as much as 5%, the BBC reported.
The lawyer stated the town council had taken the temple’s significance under consideration, and that the BHS would retain its tenancy till any redevelopment started. Various premises had been provided too, stated the report.
For the BHS, its lawyer argued the council’s cupboard had relied on officers’ suggestions with out satisfactory scrutiny, and that this amounted to an illegal delegation of the choice. He stated the council had not correctly weighed its duties below the Equality Act 2010, given the influence closure would have on the temple’s group, which he stated has no different premises, even whereas the UKIM operates roughly 40 centres and 60 branches nationwide, the BBC reported.
He famous that Peterborough has round 40 church buildings and 10 mosques, however just one Hindu temple inside 35 miles. Fisher stated the problem was directed on the council’s course of, not at UKIM or its bid.
BHS trustee Gauri Chaudhary instructed India Right this moment TV that the council indicated in March 2025 that the temple might bid for the property, however that trustees obtained no response to their provide for a number of months.
Census information from 2021 reveals Muslims make up 12.2% of Peterborough’s inhabitants, whereas Hindus account for 1.8%.
The BHS has in the meantime raised greater than £119,000 via a GoFundMe marketing campaign for prices.
Its trustees say no viable different website or premises has been recognized to date.
