Central London’s only Sikh temple has lost a High Court battle over planned parking restrictions that it says will cause it serious damage.
The Central Gurdwara London, on Queensdale Road, W11, has been challenging the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s decision to significantly tighten residents parking restrictions in the borough.
The temple claims that the proposed parking regime will prevent its mostly elderly congregation from getting to the temple.
Previously, the controlled hours for residents-only parking operated from 8.30am until 6.30pm on weekdays, and 8.30am to 1.30pm on Saturdays. The new hours will run from 8.30am to 10pm on weekdays, from 8.30am to 6.30pm on Saturdays and 1pm to 5pm on Sundays.
The temple, which is the oldest established Gurdwara in the UK, holds regular services on Wednesdays at 6.30pm-8pm and on Saturdays and Sundays at 7am9am and 4pm-8.30pm.
It says that, as it is the only Gurdwara in central London, members of the congregation travel long distances by car to get there.
In addition, it estimates that 65% of its members are over 70 years old. Many of them have mobility difficulties and “anxiety” about using public transport.
Another 15%, the temple says, are young families who also find it convenient to drive to the temple.
The proposals are being opposed by faith groups form across the borough.
In July last year, St James Church, Holland Park Synagogue, St Francis of Assisi Church and the Islamic Universal Association sent a letter to the council objecting to the new parking proposals.
They argued that the measures would make it difficult for older worshippers to travel, which would lead to a reduction in congregations and donations, which would “impact our funding”.
When the council approved the changes, the temple appealed the decision to the High Court in London. And at a hearing last month lawyers argued that the council’s consultation was inadequate, it “rushed” into making a decision, it breached its public sector equality duty, and acted irrationally.
However, in a ruling handed down today, High Court planning judge Mrs Justice Lang dismissed their case.
She said there were “some difficulties identifying [the] … grounds of challenge with precision” as the temple’s lawyer “presented too many different formulations in his written and oral statement.”
She found that the council was “entitled, in the exercise of its judgment” to make the conclusions it did and impose the new restrictions.
