Wolverhampton temple set for 'state of the art' expansion
The largest Sikh temple in Wolverhampton will expand with a striking three-storey heritage centre under new plans revealed today.
The Guru Nanak Sikh Temple wants to build the centre next to its Gurdwara on the corner of Duncan Street and Sedgley Street in Blakenhall.
The work would completely revamp the landmark site with a new glass dome, stone archways and feature windows.
A planning application has now been submitted to Wolverhampton council. Documents drawn up by Wolverhampton-based ACP Architects say the building will be 'state of the art'.
Blakenhall councillor Harbans Singh Bagri said he welcomed the plans.
"I think we are all very happy in the sense that we see new development," he said.
"We have had lots of money spent in Blakenhall Gardens and residential accommodation and houses and the temple itself, most of it is fairly new, but this one part where they are planning a new building, this will add value to the centre."
The heritage centre would provide an 'educational learning facility', exhibition space and a new entrance and lobby to the existing Gurdwara.
The plans state: "The new building will serve to provide a fitting and updated facility that has been designed to maintain the core tenets of the Sikh faith, whilst ensuring that as the way and means of engaging and learning Sikhi changes, the Gurdwara is at all times able to meet those challenges without any major re-work."
The new building would have a central atrium, offices, a feature hall and reception, a basement conference room for up to 160 people, storage, an education space, library and a viewing area to accommodate wheelchair users and the frail in the main prayer room.
If approved, the eye-catching centre would replace an existing two-storey building and have a total internal floor area of 5,000 sq ft.
The glass dome will have a diameter of almost 30ft and plans say it will allow light to penetrate into the core of the building 'adding drama to the central atrium'.
Documents add that no extra car parking will be needed as the new centre will not cause an increase in occupancy to the Gurdwara at peak use times and will not provide an extra car parking spaces.
The temple is on the site of a former Corona drinks factory and opened in 1979.
