THE Army is to create a purpose-built Hindu temple so that its elite Gurkha soldiers can worship while they train in the North-East and North Yorkshire.

The temple is to be created at Imphal Barracks, York, along with new accommodation for the Nepalese troops.

A former indoor rifle range at the barracks, in Fulford Road, will be transformed into a place of worship complete with shrine.

The temple, which will be able to accommodate 150 people, will also feature kitchen facilities and a shoe room as Hindus remove their shoes for worship. The outside of the single-storey brick building, Building 81, will not change, but a small, fenced-off ceremonial square with three flagpoles will be created outside.

An Army spokeswoman said: "It is most appropriate that we cater for the spiritual welfare of the Gurkhas - by providing a temple at the barracks - in the same way that we look after the religious needs of all our soldiers."

The barracks, which is home to 2 Signal Regiment and the headquarters of 15 (North East) Brigade, has about 100 Gurkhas based there, but the number is due to rise to 175 by the end of the year.

A three-storey accommodation block is also planned to be built at the barracks to provide 74 individual en-suite study bedrooms for Gurkha soldiers.

Roger Armistead, the City of York Council planning officer dealing with the case, said the council could not refuse planning permission as they were Ministry of Defence developments, but the authority was being consulted by the MoD.

Two years ago, the MoD converted a former Christian church into a dedicated Hindu temple, or Mandir, at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

The garrison - Europe's largest army base - has become home to hundreds of Gurkha trainees after a shake-up in the deployment of British forces.

The Gurkha troops had previously trained at Church Crookham, Hampshire, but the regiment was transferred to North Yorkshire as part of a defence review.