Huge new cemetery planned for this Lancashire town - as burial space runs low across the UK
Council bosses in Lancashire are looking at turning “unkempt” grassland into a cemetery, as space for burials runs low.
A 15 acre site off Edge End Avenue, Brierfield has been earmarked by Pendle Borough Council, as the existing cemetery in Nelson - opened in 1895 - is running out of space with no area for extension. A report to planning chiefs states: “As the only cemetery in the borough with provision for Muslim burials, it is crucial to identify a new site to cater to the needs of the Muslim community once Nelson reaches its capacity.”
The proposed area of grassland is on a gradient and so levelling works will be required to make the land suitable for burials. As the cemetery will also serve the local Muslim community, all plots will be laid out to comply with religious scripture.
A planning report states: “Population projections indicate that the Muslim population in Pendle accounts for 18.5 per cent of the total population, with 68 per cent of burials in the Nelson cemetery being Muslim. Considering the faith requirements for Muslim burials, it is crucial to provide appropriate burial facilities that align with Islamic customs. The proposed cemetery will address this need, offering suitable burial plots for the Muslim community.”
It is proposed that the development of the site will be carried out in phases, with the first phase including essential facilities such as a car parking area, maintenance area, and the first burial plots. Subsequent phases will extend the landscaping and burial areas across the site. The proposed vehicle access would be from Halifax Road.
The area is surrounded by residential houses, and proposals include “significant large scale tree planting” to create woodland areas- in order to improve the area’s biodiversity and increase the amenity value for local residents.
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The Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) has estimated that within the next five to 10 years, 30 per cent of UK local authorities will have run out of burial space. These calculations only consider current rates of burial and do not allow for the increasing number of total deaths arising from the nationally expanding population and ageing population nor shortages of burial space in neighbouring districts.