UK: Peterborough council denies sale of Hindu temple to mosque is 'unlawful'
The dispute has attracted considerable attention as it sets two religious communities against one another over a property that has functioned as a Hindu temple for close to 40 years
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A British city council has defended its contested decision to sell a Peterborough building housing the city's only Hindu temple to a Muslim organisation planning to convert it into a mosque and Islamic centre, telling the High Court the sale was lawful notwithstanding strong pushback from local Hindus.
Representing Peterborough City Council, barrister Catherine Rowlands told the High Court that the decision was based on financial and legal factors rather than any discriminatory motive. “The fact that the Hindu community would lose the only temple they have within a 35-mile radius does not make the decision unlawful," she argued. Rowlands said public bodies are required to consider the impact of decisions on protected groups, including religious communities, but are not obligated to make decisions solely on that basis.
The dispute has been particularly painful for Bharat Hindu Samaj because the organisation had spent years trying to purchase the building it currently occupies. According to court submissions, BHS had been negotiating with the council for roughly a decade to acquire the site.
The council ultimately selected the higher bid.
“Peterborough Council is hard up. We need the money," Rowlands told the court, underlining the financial pressures influencing the decision. Bharat Hindu Samaj is seeking a judicial review of the council’s decision and wants the court to overturn the sale. The organisation argues that the loss of the temple would leave thousands of Hindus in the region without a dedicated place of worship and community gathering space.
The dispute has attracted considerable attention as it sets two religious communities against one another over a property that has functioned as a Hindu temple for close to 40 years. The disagreement centres on the New England Complex in Peterborough, home to a temple run by Bharat Hindu Samaj (BHS) since 1986. In February, the city council opted to sell the property to the UK Islamic Mission (UKIM), which intends to turn it into Masjid Khadijah, a mosque and Islamic centre.
Representing Peterborough City Council, barrister Catherine Rowlands told the High Court that the decision was based on financial and legal factors rather than any discriminatory motive. “The fact that the Hindu community would lose the only temple they have within a 35-mile radius does not make the decision unlawful," she argued. Rowlands said public bodies are required to consider the impact of decisions on protected groups, including religious communities, but are not obligated to make decisions solely on that basis.
“Protected characteristics need to be taken into consideration when reaching a decision, but do not dictate a decision," she told the court. The council also maintained that the Hindu community’s tenancy rights would remain protected until redevelopment begins.
The dispute has been particularly painful for Bharat Hindu Samaj because the organisation had spent years trying to purchase the building it currently occupies. According to court submissions, BHS had been negotiating with the council for roughly a decade to acquire the site.
However, when bids were invited, UKIM offered £1.4 million (around Rs 18 crore) and provided evidence of access to more than £5 million in funds. Bharat Hindu Samaj offered £900,000 plus an additional social-value package linked to its community activities.'
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The council ultimately selected the higher bid.
“Peterborough Council is hard up. We need the money," Rowlands told the court, underlining the financial pressures influencing the decision. Bharat Hindu Samaj is seeking a judicial review of the council’s decision and wants the court to overturn the sale. The organisation argues that the loss of the temple would leave thousands of Hindus in the region without a dedicated place of worship and community gathering space.