A NEW synagogue is to be opened in Hale Barns to cater for a growing Jewish community.

Planning chiefs gave the go-ahead for a barn/coach house on Wicker Lane to be converted into a 120-seat place of worship.

The plan also involves converting a farmhouse on the site into two semi-detached houses.

The synagogue will be used by the growing Share Hayim congregation. It is needed because there are around 65 families from the community who are within a 20-minute walk of Wicker Lane, and the Jewish faith requires people to walk to services on the Sabbath The nearby Hale synagogue has provided a small room for services which can fit in 40 to 50 people, but this is now inadequate.

There were three letters of objection from neighbours, whose concerns included that the 18 parking spaces on the site would be inadequate. There were also five letters supporting the scheme.

A planning report said: "It is considered likely that at times there will be an increase in on-street parking in the vicinity of the site, in particular on Wicker Lane It is considered that any on-street parking that does result from the proposed use of the site would not cause undue loss of amenity to the area or its residents, nor would it cause undue detriment to highway safety or capacity."