Blow for Crawley Hindu temple plans

By gebrey

PLANNING inspectors have turned down an appeal from a Hindu group over parking spaces at their new temple.

The Gurjar Hindu Union, which is building a temple in Ifield, appealed a Crawley Borough Council decision requiring them to have 250 spaces.

The union claimed 99 spaces would be enough and referred it to the Planning Inspectorate.

But the appeal was refused on Friday, with inspectors saying the council's decision at the Apple Tree Farm site in Ifield Avenue was "justified".

Ifield resident Richard Nixon has campaigned for the larger car park, saying fewer spaces would cause parking chaos in the area.

He said: "I am very pleased with the decision.

"The plan for 99 spaces would have meant a series of problems, especially when there were long festivals at the temple."

The Hindu union has the right to appeal the latest decision in the High Court.