Tottenham Park Cemetery threatened with closure

The government has applied to close Tottenham Park Cemetery after it said the owners "repeatedly failed to ensure the safety of burials".

It said the owners of the privately run cemetery in Enfield had not made the necessary improvements ordered following previous inspections.

Inspectors had found that remains were being unlawfully disturbed during the burial process, the government said.

The owners said closure of the cemetery would be "strongly opposed".

The closure would mean no new burials would be allowed, except where plots have previously been reserved. Visitors would still be allowed access to the graves.

Complaints about the site were first made by the local council, Baroness Hussein-Ece, and local MPs. This prompted two inspections by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

Recommendations that no new plots should be excavated or sold, and that record-keeping should be improved, have not been met, the MoJ said.

Justice minister Mike Freer said: "The people buried in this cemetery were laid to rest and the repeated disturbance of their remains is not only illegal but a breach of trust.

"I believe it is necessary to seek this closure to ensure that Tottenham Park Cemetery can safely serve its community in future."

The cemetery is said to be one of the largest Turkish burial grounds in the UK.

Enfield Council tried to buy it in 2023 to bring it into public ownership, but the offer was rejected. The site was subsequently sold to British-Turkish businessmen Mustafa Dari and Ersin Savas.

In response to the announcement, the owners told the BBC they did not accept the findings of the MoJ report.

They accused it of "rehashing" issues pre-dating their ownership of the cemetery, and added that its closure would be "a disaster for the community and its users".

Enfield Council responded to the MoJ's announcement by saying it "welcomes the move".

It added: "We would encourage residents or anyone who has a connection with the cemetery to share their views on the proposed closure within one calendar month."

To close the site to new burials, the government must apply to the Privy Council Office. If granted, the closure order would be signed by the King.

The MoJ said it would continue to work with the cemetery's owners to ensure the reserved graves continued to be managed.

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