A NEW place of worship for the Hindu community could be built in Rochford after plans were submitted to transform a sports club.

Rochford Council has received a planning application to change the use of Rochford Sports Club, in Church Walk, from a tennis club to a place of worship.

The plans state the proposed development would provide a “relatively small community facility,” which would include a place of worship.

It is aimed at meeting the needs of the Hindu community that has settled in Rochford and Southend.

According to the plans there are around 2,175 people of all ages that are part of the local Hindu community.

The site was home to Rochford Tennis Club and contains three courts but was bought by the applicants back in 2023.

Plans state that the clubhouse would be changed to a community facility and the tennis courts converted into a “multi sports facility”.

Mike Steptoe, councillor responsible for Roche South ward, said: “The concern I have at the moment which I need to look at is around parking, and the increase of parking that would be needed, as it is a narrow street. So, we would need to look at how to deal with the parking.

“The application as a whole, I will look at in more detail, before making a decision on what I think is best.”

The plans state that the new sports facility would be available to the wider community.

The application adds: “This will allow engagement between the emerging Hindu community and the existing residents of Rochford.

“This will naturally allow for education and the breaking down of racial and religious barriers.

“Whilst the community has attempted to provide a service, events, opportunities to engage with the wider community and the like locally, this has been significantly restricted by not having a base of operation of a focal point, with most of the local Hindu community being forced to travel to Ilford or East Ham to be able to engage in community activities.

“This is costly, time consuming and puts a significant burden on the day-to-day lives of these individuals, particularly at certain religious celebrations such as Shivratri.”