A dispute has emerged over the Peterborough City Council's decision to sell a community complex housing a Hindu temple since 1986 to the United Kingdom Islamic Mission (UKIM).

The temple, established by Hindu families expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin in 1972, serves 14,000 people across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Lincolnshire.The council's cabinet approved the sale in December 2025 as part of its £500-million debt plan, despite legal challenges.The UKIM's £1.4 million bid, backed by £5.4 million in funds, faced opposition from the Bharat Hindu Samaj (BHS) trust, which argued the council unlawfully delegated decision-making.BHS's bid of £900,000 cash plus £504,000 social value was rejected, with the council claiming it considered the temple's significance.The BHS claims no viable alternative premises exist, while the council insists it will retain the temple's tenancy during redevelopment.Legal arguments focus on procedural flaws and the council's failure to weigh Equality Act 2010 obligations.The case highlights tensions over religious spaces and council accountability.