Part One: Spatial Strategy and Policies (Regulation 19)
Burial Land including Cemetries and Crematoriums
15.8. Land available for burials is limited within the borough. In order to ensure that burial sites are available for local communities borough-wide it will be necessary to identify suitable sites. The Council will also consider favourably proposals for green burial sites as a sustainable form of burial.
Policy DLP66 Burial Land including Cemeteries and Crematoriums Comment
- Wherever possible the safeguarding and extension of existing burial grounds, including churchyards and cemeteries should be given preference. Where these are full, additional sites in the vicinity should be considered favourably providing they do not:
- adversely harm the amenity of adjacent residential areas.
- result in the loss of an area of importance and value for informal or formal recreation.
- result in the loss of agricultural land.
- result in the loss of or harm a high-quality nature conservation site.
- New proposals for cemeteries and crematoriums need to have consideration for the following;
- must be located in accessible locations well-served by a range of transport modes including walking and cycling and be close to existing settlements to minimise travel distances
- must have adequate parking facilities.
- need to consider the needs of different faiths
- where feasible, retain and include existing landscape, nature conservation and biodiversity features within their design.
- if appropriate, make use of existing buildings and infrastructure.
- take account of the latest Environment Agency Guidance on groundwater protection (GP3 or latest equivalent)
Justification
15.9. Proposals for new burial sites must take into consideration the Environment Agency (EA) guidelines for the location and layout of burial grounds especially in terms of minimum distances between burial sites and how to deal with watercourses, wells, boreholes, and springs amongst other considerations.
15.10. There is evidence of the pollution potential from cemeteries and that some form of control is often needed. The burial of human remains results in the release of a variety of substances and organisms into the subsurface. These may, in time, find their way into the groundwater. Therefore, groundwater can be at risk of pollution from human burials where the numbers are sufficient, and the protection afforded by the subsurface geology is poor.
15.11. The EA must be consulted in the preparation of proposals for any new burial site.
