A new Hindu temple made of pale pink stone is to be built in Golders Green after plans were approved at a council meeting on Monday evening.

The Shree Swaminarayan Temple, on the corner of Finchley Road and Helenslea Road, has received permission to demolish the existing red brick temple, originally built as a Presbyterian Church, and replace it with a grand, completely symmetrical Indian-style temple.

Speaking after the meeting, the temple's applicant Laxmidas Dabasia said: "We are over the moon. The issue of car parking spaces came up and councillors felt that permission should be granted. The application was considered on its own merits and it was judged that the design and architecture we propose will add to the area.

"We feel that it will be an asset for the borough."

The approval allows the temple, which has used the building for the past 23 years, to increase its floor space from 1,277sq m to 2,898sq m. It will be 7.5m high at its tallest point.

The front of the building is planned to take the form of three main sections: the middle would comprise the entrance, flanked by two large pillars, and at each side would be two sections each three metres wide with additional entrances.

A similar application earlier this year was turned down by the council due to a lack of parking spaces.

The plans now include 33 off-street parking spaces at basement level and an additional seven spaces which would use a form of valet parking.

Childs Hill councillor Jack Cohen voted against the proposals, saying he shared residents' concerns on parking. "I am disappointed that it was given approval," he said.

"The parking is desperate around Golders Green at the moment.

"The temple is going to attract new worshippers because it's going to be a very beautiful building and residents are going to have to put up with traffic problems seven days a week instead of five or six."

A section 106 agreement, which requires the applicant to contribute £2,000 for alterations to a controlled parking scheme and £5,000 for monitoring costs of an agreed travel plan, is due to be agreed by mid-October.