Proposed new £15million Singh Sabha Gurdwara

The proposed new building will be Scotland's only purpose built Gurdwara, and will be built on the existing grounds at Berkeley Street, Glasgow in 2 separate construction phases. Eventually it will be able to accommodate 1500 worshippers, making it not only Scotland's largest Sikh temple, but also Glasgow's largest religious building, as well one of the city's largest privately funded public buildings of any kind.
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Phase 1: Construction has Begun

Waheguru ji ka khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh

On behalf of the committee and sangat of Central Gurdwara Glasgow, it is our great pleasure to announce that the first phase of our new Gurdwara project has begun construction. (Please note that the existing temple in Berkeley Street will remain open until the new building is ready.)

Location

The new site occupies a commanding position adjacent to the existing gurdwara on Berkley Street, near the Henry Wood Hall. The site was until recently used as a car park although historically it was part of the Glasgow Eye Infirmary which was destroyed by fire in 1971. Its location in the central Anderston district of the City affords excellent accessibility to the Sikh Community, not only within Glasgow, but also the West of Scotland and Central belt regions.

Why was a new Gurdwara needed?

Thanks to the sense of Sewa, charity of it's Sangat and the hospitality of the Scots, the existing gurdwara has served our community admirably as a place of worship, community gathering and education over the past twenty-nine years. With God's grace, our community has now outgrown its facilities, and after wide consultation, careful consideration, planning and support from within the community and the City of Glasgow we felt that what was needed purpose-built Gurdwara, which will continue to fulfil existing roles and provide exciting new facilities for our emerging generations. There are already robust revenue plans in place to ensure future sustainability.

Details of the New Building and how it will benefit us

There are about 10,000 Sikhs in Scotland, most of them in Glasgow, and the new Gurdwara will be a community centre, an educational resource centre and of course a place of worship. So as well as the temple, the building will also accommodate classrooms, a library, and offices. Ultimately to be built in 2 phases, the phase 1 construction is for the striking main building. Made from polished limestone, it will also support a stunning domed roof section with the main dome made of glass-reinforced plastic.

The New Car Park

Construction has already begun with the excavation of the ground to make way for the underground car park. Offering a total of 257 car parking spaces will also be provided over three floors in the temple, there is a huge amount of space and will be made available to the general public when not required to accommodate worshippers. The architectural plans for the car park can be seen by clicking the images below.

How much will it cost?

Phase 1 was projected to cost £6 Million and involves the creation of the 'Main Building'. Thanks to your generosity, over the years, we have already raised a substantial amount, however with rising costs across the board, to ensure this project comes to fruition within the next 12-18 months, we are required to raise a further £l million. And to do this we all need to help.

Funding Shortfall for Phase 1

Although the construction costs for Phase 1 had initially been projected at £6 million, with the current state of the economy and its notorious ever-rising costs of energy, transport and labour, the allocated budget has become insufficient to meet these rising costs. That's even before considering the possibility of any complications arising during the build. The funding shortfall is currently estimated to reach around £1 million, hence the need to urgently raise funds from the Scottish Sikh community. We welcome our brothers and sisters in the business community to donate or offer interest-free loan opportunities and remind individuals interested in making donations, that Gift Aid ensures the project will benefit from additional tax relief gained from each donation. Avenues for donating are listed below and we particularly invite those of you who may have innovative ideas for fund raising or how else the Gurdwara may be used to benefit the community, to contact us and become involved. For all others, we kindly request that you aid the completion of this historical Sikh monument in Scotland by donating as much as you can afford to - however large or small - as the Gurdwara actually belongs to all of us. Donate here, or help us by organising your own fundraising event. Together, we have enjoyed great prosperity in Scotland, now is our opportunity to give something back.
 

Phase 2: What will this mean for Glasgow?