'They want to let it go to ruin': Sikh community anger as council blocks plans for historic Leeds church
For nearly three decades a Grade II listed Leeds church has stood empty and its owners say they have been left in limbo after being locked in a planning wrangle.
Almost £1 million has been poured into the former Union Chapel, on Chapeltown Road, but the Sikh community, which owns the site, says the council refused plans to convert it into a ballet studio.
Built in the late 19th century, the building was used as a Sikh temple from 1963 and has stood empty since 1999, when worshippers moved across the road to the community’s new gurdwara.
Funding from both Leeds City Council’s regeneration programme and the Sikh Temple was intended to help bring the site back into use, but 27 years on, no project has made it over the line.
The application - a bid to transform the space into a ballet studio for children in the area - was refused by the planning panel in 2025 on the grounds that the proposal would cause harm to the building’s special architectural and historic interest.
Bikram Pal Singh, president of the Sikh Temple, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “The council planners have refused planning permission on the grounds that there will be structural changes. There are no changes.
“They have used the excuse of saying the gates to the car park are too narrow. We don’t want to get articulated lorries in here; there are going to be simple cars parked here.”
“The other objection was the air conditioning units. They can go into the alley to the side of the building or on the sides where they are out of sight.”
On recommending the plans for refusal, the council's planning officer said the proposed alterations, including the mezzanine floor and partition walls, would harm the architectural integrity and spatial character of the church.
The officer highlighted that the application failed to provide a clear and convincing justification for the harm caused, nor did it identify public benefits that would outweigh the impact on the historic asset.
As a result, the proposal was deemed to conflict with both local and national planning policies aimed at conserving heritage buildings.
Mr Singh said: "It’s a simple, small dance studio in the community. They can move from the school where they are teaching the children. And that's all it is going to be.
“Leeds City Council knows very well that a lot of public money has been spent on the premises to bring the building back to life. They just want to let the building go to ruin again."
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “Leeds City Council determines planning applications in accordance with planning policy. Where proposals involve works to a listed building, legislation places a statutory duty on the council to give special regard to the preservation of the building, its setting, and its architectural and historic significance.
“In this case, the council’s Conservation Officer raised objections due to the impact of some of the proposed works on the historic fabric of the building, with insufficient evidence provided to demonstrate how this harm would be mitigated.
“The site is located close to residential properties and the application did not adequately address how neighbouring residents would be protected from noise. Significant concerns were also raised by the council’s Highways team, including the narrow vehicular access, the potential obstruction caused by the proposed gates, and issues with the design and layout of the parking area, with some spaces undersized and inaccessible.
“Taken together, these concerns were considered to outweigh the benefits of bringing the listed building back into use. The applicant has the right to appeal the decision or submit a revised application.”