A community centre is to be built on a former Leicester scrapyard to serve one of the city’s fastest growing communities.
Plans have been approved to create the facility for members of the Diu community in Overton Road, off Humberstone Road, Leicester.
More than 100 supporters attended a city council planning meeting to see plans submitted by the Diu Koli Samaj Association given the go-ahead.
The association plans to demolish most of the industrial buildings on the proposed site though it will keep most of a former 19th century chapel which will be used as a cafe and community space.
It also plans a function hall and a garden as well as eight flats and a car park.
Diu is an island and former Portuguese colony off the Western coast of India.
There are around 200 Diu families in Leicester which originate from the island but they have not had their own community building.
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In a statement sent to the council the association said it wanted somewhere ‘open to all’ to host celebrations which could connect it with the wider city community.
It said: “We saw a great opportunity when this site became available for purchase.
“The proposed community centre will be a place for the families from Diu to come together as well as a place for them to share their culture and heritage with the people of our new home in Leicester.”
Agent for the association Greg Dowden said: “This scheme greens a brownfield site and you can’t get more brownfield than a former scrapyard.”
He said the scheme would help restore the streetscape in Overton Road while keeping the architecturally significant chapel.
Leicester East MP Keith Vaz has supported the redevelopment.
He said: “The Diu community is one of the fastest growing in Leicester and it is appropriate at this time for them to have their own community facilities.
“I am particularly delighted the chapel is to be preserved.
“This is going to be an enormous asset to our local community.”
There were 15 objections to the plan lodged with city council officials.
These included concerns about noise, traffic, and disruption from events held at the proposed community
Planning officers recommended the scheme be approved though they have imposed conditions restricting opening hours and the use of amplified music.
