New cemetery search in Buckley as burial space runs out

Extra burial space will be sought for a Flintshire town where the existing cemetery is running out of space.

Councillors were told that Buckley would not be forgotten as they approved £825,000 plans to expand graveyards in Hawarden and Hope.

Chief officer Steve Jones said Buckley Cemetery had nine years of capacity left but no room for expansion.

He told councillors it would take four years to find and prepare a suitable new site.

Hawarden's No. 2 Cemetery and Bryn y Grog in Hope have been identified by Flintshire County Council as the highest priority for extension in the next 20 years with the latter only having seven burial spaces left.

As a result, the authority is in the advanced stages of buying nearby land to allow work to increase capacity to go ahead. according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, plans to improve Buckley Cemetery on Elfed Drive have hit a major stumbling block because of the absence of suitable surrounding land.

Mr Jones, the chief officer for streetscene and transportation, said his team were already looking at options within the town.

"It's not simply a case of just moving in and making a field a burial site," he said.

"There's a lot of test work to be done so we do need a four-year window to give us time to look for land and start that procurement process."

Councillor Dennis Hutchinson, who represents Buckley Pentrobin, said he had previously suggested land next to Bistre Church which the vicar was willing to offer.

Mr Jones said the Bistre site was one of a number to be considered, but warned of issues with land contamination.