Plans for new 7,000-grave cemetery in Pendle

Councillors looked at three different sites for the cemetery

Plans to create a new cemetery with space for over 7,000 graves could result in fees being increased by at least £160.

Pendle Borough Council have to buy the site from Lancashire County Council for an estimated £840,000.

Other sites were ruled-out after some residents raised fears that green spaces could be threatened.

The council will plant trees and wild flowers to help to offset the carbon emissions.

Councillors will be asked to decide how the new cemetery should be paid for at the next Policy & Resources Committee meeting on Thursday, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Three options to pay for the new cemetery are being put to councillors, including fees being paid by the public or adding the scheme to the council's existing programme, meaning £112,000 would need to be found from savings.

If fees were paid for by the public it would mean a cost of £181 per burial plot and if It was added to all cemeteries across the borough, it would be an increase of £164.

The report states: "The intention is to provide significant, dignified burial space in an attractive green environment."

Councillor Asjad Mahmood, a Labour member of the committee, said: "I and colleagues realised three years ago that cemetery provision would become an issue in years to come. Sadly the Covid pandemic saw an increase in the use of burial plots.

"I will be pushing for speedy decisions so a new cemetery is available as quickly as possible. Otherwise we could be faced with a possibility of residents not being able to bury loved ones here, which would be heart-breaking."

Councillor Faraz Ahmed added: "I am alarmed that one option is to further increase the cost of burials. I oppose any further increases in cemetery fees which, at this time, is not fair on families struggling with a cost of living crisis."

In March councillors looked at three different locations before short-listing the Halifax Road site, which is between Brierfield and Nelson.

At the time, Conservative leader of the council Councillor Nadeem Ahmed, acknowledged the many factors, but said the borough had a duty to provide cemetery provision.

He said the district was running out of space, adding a "long-term solution" was needed.