5,000 extra burial plots to be created at Willenhall cemetery
An extra 5,000 burial plots will be created at Willenhall cemetery under new plans to help meet demand and ease an impending shortage of space, it emerged today.
The expansion of Willenhall Lawn Cemetery is expected to provide spaces for another 40 years. The existing site is due to reach full capacity by 2016. Around £120,000 has been set aside by Walsall Council to explore the option, with the aim of beginning construction within two years.
Improvement plans are also in the pipeline for Streetly Cemetery.
Better roads and footpaths are to be installed at Streetly to take visitors to additional graves.
Council officers will now be tasked with investigating the feasibility of the Willenhall project. Bosses want to provide further burial space to the east of the site off Bentley Lane along with roads and landscaping.
A report to Walsall Council states: "There are in the region of 500 grave spaces remaining of the existing provision and statistically there are about 115 new full coffin graves purchased each year in this cemetery.
"The availability of full coffin graves in the cemetery will therefore last until 2016.
"This funding will support a feasibility study to take place in 2013/14.
"Should the results of this study signify that the ground is suitable for the burial of human remains then a further capital bid will be made to enable construction to begin in late 2014 for use by early 2016.
"It is estimated that this will be sufficient for about 5,000 full coffin graves, allowing for infrastructure.
"At present rates, this will give provision in the Willenhall cemetery for about 35 to 40 years at the current rate of usage."
Around £150,000 would be spent at Streetly, where cremators have already been replaced and extra parking created under a £1.5 million project.
