A Buddhist temple – complete with resident monks – could be formally opened in Crays Hill.

A five-bedroom house in Hardings Elms Road has been transformed by the Mahamevnawa International Meditation Centre, a Sri Lankan branch of the religion.

Monthly ceremonies have been taking place at the home, but the charity now wants Basildon Council to formally allow its £700,000 base to be turned into a place of worship.

The property was bought in March 2011 and has since been named Dhamma Land.

A letter with the planning application says events for up to 80 participants are held in the annex, on the first Sunday of each month, from 7am until 6pm.

It has an agreement with the nearby Belvedere pub to park about 20 vehicles there during the services.

The letter said: “The annex had been previously used as a music practice area. However, it is currently being used as a meditation room for resident monks, as well as guests.”

The application also says daily visits will be made to the large house to “bring and offer food to the resident monks” twice daily, before 6.30am and then before midnight.

It added: “The guests thus arrive at the site at around 5.30am for offering the breakfast and between 10am and 11am to offer the lunch.”

This would usually involve one to two cars.

As a charity the organisation has asked the council to waive the application fee or offer a discount.

A spokeswoman for the devotees who attend the services said there were two monks living at the house.

She said: “The meditations are open to anyone and there are already a few English people coming.

“The monks will teach people how to meditate and help themselves with the help of a translator.”

Residents are concerned that the centre may produce too much traffic at a narrow junction and that it has been running without planning permission already.

David McPherson-Davis, a Ramsden Crays Parish councillor, said: “The parish council made enquires with Basildon Council about the change of use about six months ago.

“We were told there were just three people resident and it was not being used as a place of worship. I would be concerned about traffic if there were 80 people coming on a Sunday.”

Basildon councillor John Dornan added: “There have been some complaints about noise and music coming from there.”

However, the application says all traffic will be before 7am and after 6pm on Sundays.