'Critical' town cemetery expansion approved

Hartlepool's Stranton Cemetery and Crematorium has reached a "critical point" in its lifespan", councillors have heard

Councillors have unanimously backed plans to expand a town cemetery.

A report outlined initial proposals for the future of Stranton Cemetery and Crematorium, in Hartlepool, which has "reached a critical point in its lifespan".

A Hartlepool Borough Council committee heard work was required to multiple parts of the site "to ensure it can continue to be used".

Initial work would cost £1.25m to extend the cemetery 30-acres to the west of the existing site, the meeting heard.

Committee chair, councillor Gary Allen, said: "As a town, it's clear we need to do something for the future and this is the beginning of the process.

"We need to invest in the land and the crematoria, doing nothing is not an option."

If the cemetery is not expanded, the council said the lifespan of West View Cemetery, which has capacity for burials for approximately 48 years, would "fall significantly".

The plan also includes further recommendations for other improvements at the site, including installing above ground structures as part of the Garden of Remembrance for additional space for ashes burials.

Officers said the proposals provided a "really good starting point" ahead of detailed plans and costs being drawn up, along with consultation with residents.