Chester County · East Whiteland Township · #LD-08-24-18199
158 Planebrook Road worship center
East Whiteland Township, PA · 28,000 sq ft non-residential, institutional · 3.6 acres
About this project
A 28,000 sq. ft. worship center on a 3.6-acre site at 158 Planebrook Road in East Whiteland Township.
Official description: plans to develop a 3.6 acre site for a 28,000 square feet worship center; refer to SD-08-24-18205 for concurrent lot consolidation plan
- Plan type
- Land development
- Land use
- Religious Organization
- Status
- Reviewed
Filing history
- 2024-10-11 · #LD-08-24-18199 · Land development · 28,000 sq ft
- 2024-10-11 · #SD-08-24-18205 · Subdivision
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
Sai Temple Malvern, a nonprofit religious organization, proposes a two-story worship center of about 28,000 to 28,800 square feet at 158 Planebrook Road in East Whiteland Township. It would sit on roughly 3.6 acres. The temple's website describes a 480-seat worship hall and 128 parking spaces.
The township's application listing says the plan would demolish two commercial garages and a one-story commercial building now on the site. The site is in the Village Mixed Use zoning district.
The temple's own website says the plans are approved and ready to build. It also says construction is waiting on fundraising, with a first-phase target of $4 million. No news coverage, opposition or township decision documents were found to confirm the approval claim.
What it could mean nearby
- Traffic: the application includes a traffic impact study, which suggests the township reviewed expected trips and access.
- Site change: older commercial buildings would be replaced by a place of worship with a large parking lot.
- Timing: construction depends on the temple raising funds, so the start date is uncertain.
Where it stands
The township lists a preliminary/final land development application filed in 2024, and the county's latest filing is dated October 2024. The temple says its plans are approved. Next steps usually include final permits and construction start, which the temple says depends on funding.
- Oct 11, 2024 Latest Chester County planning filing
- Jun 2024 Township lists the Sai Temple land development application among its 2024 applications
Want to weigh in? The East Whiteland Township planning commission and supervisors handle land development applications, and meeting agendas are posted on the township website.
Who's behind it
Sai Temple Malvern · A registered nonprofit religious organization serving the Greater Philadelphia area that is raising funds for a larger temple.
Around the web
- Our Future TempleSai Temple MalvernThe temple describes a 480-seat, 28,800 sq ft worship center with 128 parking spaces, says plans are approved, and says construction awaits funding.
- Land Developments & ApplicationsEast Whiteland TownshipThe township lists a 2024 land development application to demolish commercial buildings at 152–162 Planebrook Road and build a worship center in the VMX district.
Planning terms explained
- Land development application
- A formal request to a township to approve plans for building or redeveloping a property.
- Preliminary/final plan
- A combined review that lets a township give both early and last-stage plan approval in one step.
- Village Mixed Use (VMX) district
- A zoning category that allows a blend of shops, homes and community uses.
- Traffic impact study
- A report estimating how many extra vehicle trips a project will create and how nearby roads will handle them.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $9.8M
- ~140 roofing squares (assumes 2 stories)
- ~70 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)
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