Reading cemetery land extension agreed at Henley Road

The existing cemetery at Henley Road in Caversham would last about 12 years, the council said

Plans to expand Reading cemetery in a bid to double the amount of available burial space have moved a step closer after they received council backing.

The existing cemetery off Henley Road in Caversham will be full by 2027, Reading Borough Council said.

It agreed a 1-hectare (2.4-acre) extension on Monday, which would create sufficient space to meet expected demand for the next 24 years.

The proposals are subject to a full consultation and planning consent.

The council's policy committee also approved an allowance of up to £100,000 to carry out the works necessary to ensure the council-owned area - which is currently used primarily for dog walking - meets the requirements for burial purposes.

It said a section of the cemetery used for Muslim burials would be full within the next three years without the extension.

The council has been operating the cemetery since 1927.

Recent Reading Borough Council figures show the cemetery, which is one of three council-owned grounds, has a demand for an average of 114 new grave spaces per year.