War memorial set to move for Remembrance Day safety

The Staunton-on-Wye war memorial is alongside the A438, and traffic can often drown out Remembrance Day services as well as pose a risk to attendees

A war memorial in a Herefordshire village is set to be moved to make its Remembrance Day services safer and more audible.

The Staunton-on-Wye memorial is next to the A438, between Hereford and Hay-on-Wye, nearly a mile from the centre of the village.

Increasing amounts of traffic and the growing popularity of the services in November have made it more dangerous for people attending, the parish council said.

It wants the Grade II-listed memorial moved to common land, known as Doctors Pool, which it says is a safer and quieter location.

At the last service conducted at the memorial, "no-one could hear the prayers or the epitaph,” the planning application lodged with Herefordshire Council says.

The parish council is also concerned the polished granite column, erected in 1920, could be damaged by exhaust fumes and vibration from the "increasingly heavier" lorries on the road.

It said it has local support for the proposed relocation, and has also got a specialist firm of stonemasons ready to manage the move, if the planning and listed building consents are approved.

Comments on the applications can be made until 15 August.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.