Green burial ground approved
Wednesday 4th February 2009, 12:25PM GMT.
Eco-friendly burials for people in north Shropshire came a step closer today after planning chiefs gave the first “green graveyard” in the area the go ahead.
The plans for a half-acre site on land off Alkington Grange, near Whitchurch, have been approved by North Shropshire District Council. Applicant James Blantern, 35, from Whitchurch, said the green burial site could now be up and running by early spring.
“We will now be contacting funeral directors in the area to tell them the service is available,” he said.
“It’s a first for north Shropshire and the site is really pretty plus it’s a low carbon enterprise. Hopefully it will help people in north Shropshire avoid travelling to the south of the county and beyond to take advantage of eco-friendly burial sites.”
He said the site would use biodegradable coffins made from wicker or cardboard. Also, the site will not use traditional headstones and families would identify their loved ones’ burial sites via microchips in the ground.
Mr Blantern said he and wife Emma decided to set up a green burial ground to offer people the chance to bury their loved ones with minimal impact on the environment.
He said the cost of a plot would range from £500 to £800.
The site will cater for about 10 burials every year, and would be maintained as a wild flower meadow with sheep used to graze it.
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About time we had one here! My stepdad is burried in an Eco-friendly burial site in South Yorks. Its a beautiful place.
Am unclear about the microchips bit tho. How would you find a grave if you didn’t know where it was located without a microchip scanner??
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