Building and Facilities
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Northstowe Hindu Temple: Evidence Pack
A Case for a Permanent Place of Worship & Community Hub
104
Survey Respondents
Households
332+
Represented
Residents
973
Signature Campaign
Supporters
Submitted by Hindu Samaj Northstowe (HSN) | January 2026 | Northstowe Faith and Community Land Bid (Section 106)
About This Evidence Pack
What Is This?
This evidence pack was submitted by Hindu Samaj Northstowe (HSN) as part of a Section 106 Faith and Community Land Bid. It combines audited household survey data, resident testimony, spatial gap analysis, and a signature campaign to demonstrate the immediate and long-term need for a dedicated Hindu temple and community hub in Northstowe.
What's Included
  • Part A: Household Needs Survey — 104 households, Jan 2026
  • Part B: Indicative Hindu Population Projection (2026–2045)
  • Community Voices — Anonymised resident support letters
  • Spatial Gap Analysis — Map-based evidence of provision inequality
  • Signature Campaign — 973 supporters across Cambridgeshire

The need is both immediate for today's residents and sustained over the town's planned build-out to ~10,000 homes.
Key Survey Findings at a Glance
104 households surveyed | Representing 332+ residents | Independently audited
97.1%
Live in Northstowe or immediate area
94%
Face 1-hour+ round-trip to nearest temple
93%
Would use a local facility weekly or daily
78.8%
Rate the absence as "Very Significant"
98.1%
Identify as part of the Hindu community
100%
Gave data consent (all 104 households)
Survey conducted by HSN via community outreach. Data independently audited by Mukesh Malhotra (BEM, BCAv, MSc, CiSM). Full unredacted dataset held securely and available for Council verification on request.
Impact of the Absence of a Local Temple
Survey Question: What impact does the absence of a Hindu temple near Northstowe have on your household?
Long travel times
75% (78 households)
Feeling culturally or socially disconnected
61.5% (64 households)
Missing or limiting festival celebrations
60.6% (63 households)
Reduced frequency of visits
65.4% (68 households)
Difficulty attending with children
44.2% (46 households)
Difficulty attending with elderly family members
38.5% (40 households)
Impact on mental health
26.9% (28 households)

78.8% of households rated the overall absence as "Very Significant" for their family. A further 18.3% rated it as "Significant". Combined: 97.1% of households feel the impact significantly.
Community Voices
26 unedited resident testimonies from Northstowe households — in their own words
"If there is a hindu temple in northstowe, it will be very helpful to strenghthen our ciltural values and mental wellbeing."
"There are special religious activities that we do on religious days which traditionally require visiting a temple. As there are no temples nearby, we miss out on such opportunities and feel disconnected. Having a place of worship nearby will impact positively on mental and physical wellbeing. Cambridge is a vibrant and inclusive city that accommodates places of worship for many religions, yet Hindus do not have the same access. This feels deeply saddening and hurtful. I long to be able to walk to a temple and simply spend time in prayer, have a conversation with Pandit Ji, and connect with Bhagwan."
"Now as getting older - we have to rely on children when they are free to take to temple but if we had one in Northstowe it would help us feel more independent. Also we need a temple in Cambridge"
"temple would not only serve as a place of worship, but also as a community hub offering educational programs, cultural events, charitable initiatives, and opportunities for interfaith engagement. Such a facility would contribute positively to community harmony and provide a safe and meaningful gathering place for families and individuals of all ages."
"We need a temple because it is essential for celebrating Hindu festivals, preserving and passing our culture to the next generation, and teaching moral and spiritual values to our children. A temple also provides a place for prayer, reflection, and community gatherings, which brings mental peace and a sense of belonging."
"There are many rituals which we couldn't do because of absence of hindhu temple in the vicinity."
"The absence of a temple in the vicinity limits easy access to a common place for prayer and spiritual reflection. It reduces opportunities for the community to gather regularly for religious and cultural activities. Elderly people and children may find it difficult to travel long distances for worship. Festivals and rituals lose their collective spirit when there is no nearby temple. Over time, the lack of a temple can weaken shared traditions and community bonding."
"We are the ONLY religion in Cambridge without a religious place….which is soo sad"
"The temple should welcome a wider community and faiths"
"Visiting the temple can bring a sense of inner peace and help with mental well-being. It is a sacred ritual for any Hindu to visit the temple."
"Hope to pray at the proposed temple soon with my family"
"Very important for our children to be connected to their heritage. It is not practical to travel up and down the country to visit temples hence we currently go very occasionally. If we had a local temple, we would attend monthly at least"
"I really miss cultural activities during our festivals, I feel peaceful when I visit temples. I have a habit of going to temple every day here I miss this everyday."
"A Hindu temple in our neighborhood will be a vibrant spiritual hub, fostering unity, cultural heritage, and peace for generations. It will provide a sacred space for mindfulness, celebration, and uplifting the entire community. Currently having to commute longer is heavily reducing our temple visit. Having temple locally will be great to have regular weekly visit."
"Been in northstowe for 6 yrs, We need a Hindu temple in northstowe for sure and we need to win this bid. Hindu group is the most underprivileged group when it comes to place of workshop as Christians and Muslims they have quite a few of them exists for churches and mosques. But none for Hindus. We need to travel like 1-1.5 HR to visit nearest temple in East ham or Birmingham. We have been travelling like this for a long time and Im really tired and frustrated with local council as they don't consider Hindus religious sentiments, but always give preference to others."
"Having lived in Northstowe for the past six years, it has become increasingly clear that our local Hindu community lacks access to a nearby place of worship. The nearest Hindu temples are in areas such as East Ham or Birmingham, requiring a journey of 1 to 1.5 hours each way. We have been making these long journeys for many years, which is both exhausting and unsustainable, especially for families, elderly members, and children. It is deeply frustrating that, despite the growth and diversity of Northstowe, the religious needs and sentiments of the Hindu community have not yet been adequately recognised or considered by the local council, while other faith facilities appear to receive greater priority. We respectfully request that the council acknowledge this long-standing need and engage with the Hindu community to explore the possibility of establishing a local Hindu temple in Northstowe."
"Due to no nearby Hindu Temple within a vicinity of 1hr, it is so difficult to travel with young kids to far away temples and thus limiting our temple visits. We as parents of young kids wants our kids to see and enjoy the cultural we belongs to. My kids are always happy and wants to visit a temple when they visits their grand parents home in India and I would like to see the same excitement in them here as well."
"Not visiting a temple routinely has created a big lacuna in our lives and has a painful impact on our emotional wellbeing."
"When our family prays alongside others at the temple, we feel a shared devotion and emotional strength that lifts us in a way nothing else does. Without a nearby temple, we deeply miss that sense of togetherness and spiritual support that home prayers can't replace."
"We go to temple almost every week in East Ham. Sometimes children have other activities and we have to choose to either go to the temple or go to a birthday party or other thing. This makes it difficult for the children."
"As a devoted Hindu, having a temple in Cambridge would be a spiritual haven, allowing me to nurture my faith and connect even more with our vibrant community."
"A temple is a place to connect with your community to develop a sense of belonging. Need a place to develop the next generation of young people to connect with culture, and spiritual journey. Would be a great opportunity to build a temple to connect the many Hindu around Cambridge"
"Cannot participate in Religious festivals."
"No" (Note: This was a valid response in the 'Comments' field).
"Temple is part of our daily routine back in India. It kept us connected with our culture and values. We wish to have the same connection here and pass on same to our children."
"We need at list one Temple nearby Cambridge, near to our home."
All 26 testimonies are unedited responses to Question 16 of the household survey. Personal identifiers have been redacted for GDPR compliance. Originals available for Council verification.
Resident Support Letters
Anonymised personal letters from Northstowe and Longstanton residents describing the real-life impact of having no local Hindu temple
Ceremonies Disrupted
Families are forced to travel to Birmingham or Watford for important Hindu rites of passage such as Janoi and Mundan ceremonies, often missing auspicious dates due to work and school commitments.
Children & Identity
Parents report difficulty passing on cultural heritage to children. Without a visible local space, faith risks becoming abstract rather than a lived, daily experience.
Elderly Isolation
Elderly residents who visited temples daily in India are unable to continue this practice here. They depend on family members' schedules, causing emotional distress and loss of independence.
Sense of Belonging
Multiple residents describe feeling unsettled and disconnected despite loving Northstowe. A local temple would strengthen their sense of belonging to the wider community.

One family specifically chose to move to Northstowe because of the possibility of a temple through the Section 106 land allocation.
Spatial Gap Analysis: No Hindu Temple Near Northstowe
Map-based evidence of local inequality of faith provision — EV18-04
Within 15 Miles of Northstowe
Places of worship exist for every major faith within 15 miles of Northstowe — Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, Quaker, and Sikh — but there is no dedicated Hindu temple anywhere in the local area.
  • Christian churches: Multiple within 5 miles
  • Mosques: Present in Cambridge city
  • Synagogues: Present in Cambridge city
  • Sikh Gurdwara: Present in Cambridge city
  • Buddhist centres: Present in Cambridge city
  • Hindu temple: None within 15 miles
The Regional Travel Reality
The nearest dedicated Hindu temples are located in East Ham (London), Birmingham, and Watford — requiring a journey of 1 to 1.5 hours each way. This makes regular worship, daily prayer, and time-sensitive ceremonies practically impossible for most families.

Hindus are the only major faith community in the Cambridge area without a dedicated local place of worship.
The Case for a Northstowe Hindu Temple
A summary of the evidence presented by Hindu Samaj Northstowe (HSN)
Immediate Local Need
104 audited households representing 332+ residents confirm the need is real, local, and urgent. 94% face 1-hour+ travel to the nearest temple.
High Committed Utilisation
93% of surveyed households committed to weekly or daily use of a local facility — demonstrating this is not aspirational but a genuine, regular need.
No Equivalent Provision Exists
Hindus are the only major faith in the Cambridge area without a dedicated local place of worship. A community hall is not an equivalent substitute for consecrated Hindu worship.
Broad Community Support
973 supporters across Cambridgeshire signed in favour, with zero opposition. Support letters from families, students, and elders all point to the same conclusion.
Sustained Long-Term Demand
As Northstowe grows to ~10,000 homes, the Hindu community is projected to grow nearly 6x by 2045 — making this a permanent, long-term infrastructure need, not a temporary one.

Hindu Samaj Northstowe respectfully requests that the Council acknowledge this long-standing need and allocate the Section 106 faith and community land for a dedicated Hindu Temple and Community Hub.
Evidence Pack Reference: EV18-01 to EV18-05 | Submitted January 2026 | Hindu Samaj Northstowe (HSN)