Two-storey car park plan at West Bromwich Sikh temple
Bosses at a Sikh temple in West Bromwich will build a two-storey car park with more than 200 spaces, if plans are approved by council chiefs.
Leaders at Guru Har Ral Gurdwara on High Street wish to build the car park on the corner of George Street and Thomas Street.
This is the first stage of a plan which will also see a community centre and school built on the site. The car park stand on an area of vacant land which used to be home to an industrial building.
The car park will have a total of 238 spaces with the top level having 175 spaces and the lower 63. There will also be 15 disabled spaces.
The main entrance will be at the higher level from George Street and there will be a ramp to the lower area. It will be monitored by CCTV.
Temple trustee Gurdial Singh Randhawa said: "We are a very busy temple and have thousands of people come here, and so we needed the extra car parking. It will be a huge benefit for us."
He added: "Our long term plan is to build a community centre and school a the site and plans will hopefully be in place for this in a few years time. The main use of the car park will be for the congregation, but I should think some groups from the community will be able to use it with permission."
The Gurdwara building was previously a disused retail unit and was purchased with the support and financial contributions of the founding trustees of the Gurdwara together with a bank loan secured on the building in the 1970s.
It was extensively renovated before and after its opening in 1979, and it soon established itself as one of the leading Gurdwara's in the Midlands.
