'Shipping container' Temple gets initial go-ahead in Milton Keynes despite objections

The temple and community centre was approved in principle by MK Council last week. The final decision on the development will be made by the Development Control Committee in November.

The plans have stirred strong feelings in Tattenhoe, and this month two signs, saying ‘Stop the Temple’ were put up on the site.

A spokesman for the Shirdi Sai devotees said: "The objections seem to be focused on anticipated traffic issues. The planning officer at Milton Keynes Council has declared that the 55 car park spaces within the planned development will be adequate for the normal services at the temple.

"For the three occasions in the year when a maximum of 300 devotees are expected, the Shirdi Group will be able to use the 60 car park spaces at the nearby Giles Brook School."

The spokesman said school run parents will be able to use the temple's own car park for dropping-off and collecting their children. The Shirdi Group has offered the use of their parking space spaces to the Tattenhoe Sports Pavilion on Saturday mornings and during fixtures, to ease the long-standing traffic problem at these times.

He added: "Another point of contention has been the construction of the Temple and Community Centre with refurbished shipping containers. Many buildings (e.g. Travel Lodges) are built in the same way, saving valuable resources.

"Once completed, it is hard to tell the origin of the materials. In fact, the person at Milton Keynes Council responsible for overseeing the design of new developments said 'Whilst the proposed building and its materials are unconventional, it is modern and innovative and consistent with Milton Keynes’ reputation as an ambitious, forward-thinking city.'"

Members of the temple worship Indian spiritual master Sai Baba of Shirdi, who died in 1918. He is identified by his devotees as a saint and a fakir.

According to accounts from his life, he preached the importance of realization of the self and criticized love towards perishable things.

His teachings concentrate on a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace and devotion to the God and guru.