The new leader of one of the largest Hindu centres in West Yorkshire has told how he hopes it will double in size by the end of the year.

Dayal Sharma, who has been a member since 1972, was voted in as president of the Hindu Cultural Society earlier this month.

He said the year ahead looks to be an exciting one with a £300,000 extension being built on to the Leeds Road building to cater for the continually growing congregation.

And there are long-term plans to develop a £1million community hall.

"When we started back in 1966 there were only ten families.

"We met in a house in Great Horton Road," said Mr Sharma.

Now about 1,000 of the estimated 5,000 Hindus in Bradford make use of the facilities, which include the Krishna Day Centre for Elderly Asian Women, tuition for young people and yoga classes as well as regular worship.

The building will be extended on both ground and first floors towards Leeds Road and into the side - largely unused - yard.

It will provide the community with a temple which is twice the size and an equally extended dining hall on the ground floor below so it will seat up to 800 people and be ideal for weddings.

The look of the building will also change to incorporate Indian styling on the windows.

Mr Sharma explained the time scale of the long-awaited expansion.

"Our architects are working with the planning department at Bradford Council and we hope to have planning permission within a month or two.

"Within a year the building work should be completed."

A second phase of development is also under way which is expected to take several more years to complete.

A neighbouring piece of waste ground has been purchased with a view to building a large hall with sports facilities for use by the wider community and funded with a lottery grant.

Applications are being drawn up to fund a feasibility study into the scheme which is thought to cost about £1million.

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