Bridgnorth Cemetery extension moves one step closer

Last September the town council suspended the option of pre-purchasing grave spaces after the number of available plots fell to just 30.

At a meeting of the full council on Tuesday the members approved recommendations to apply to Shropshire Council for Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding towards acquiring land to expand the facility to cope with future demand.

CIL monies come from a levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new housing developments in the area.

Castle ward representative Councillor David Cooper said: "I would like to support this and I would additionally suggest that we formally note in the minutes that we consider the requirement of cemetery expansion is partly as a result of growth in population of the town to strengthen our argument."

He added that other facilities, such as increasing car parking capacity at the site off the A442, and improving playareas at Severn Park were relevant considerations.

While Bridgnorth East representative councillor Julia Buckley said she was keen to see other options for CIL cash to be considered.

But town clerk Lee Jakeman replied: " money has to be linked to developments in the area. It must be about extra houses."

"I am going to ask for a significant sum to expand our cemetery. However, we only have a limited time to prepare the application. If the link is too tenuous the less chance there is for us to get it."

The councillors also agreed to delegate negotiations for the scheme to Mr Jakeman.

The cemetery dates from 1850 and is a sandstone area which has been designated an area of Special Scientific Interest.

The town council has been working to secure additional burial space next to the current cemetery but presently has neither secure ownership of the land or obtained planning permission.

A number of plots have already been bought but are currently unused leaving the amount of plots available at a "dangerously low level".