Fresh battle over cemetery plans in Rushall
Controversial plans for a 6,450-plot burial ground on greenbelt land have re-emerged – despite huge opposition to the development.
Aldridge Construction, which owns the land in Winterley Lane, Rushall, wants to create the cemetery along with a car park for 30 vehicles.
The firm withdrew plans last year – but has brought them back to the table having ‘strengthened’ its case.
Neighbours say the entrance to the land earmarked for the development is littered with rubbish and have opposed the latest plan.
A petition against the cemetery being developed there already has 630 signatures.
The first application, which was submitted in July last year and withdrawn in December had 500 people opposing it.
The cemetery would be spread over eight acres. Although mine shafts would have to be filled in before any work is carried out.
A statement from Aldridge Construction said: “Creating a cemetery in an area of open grassland would inevitably change the character of the site, however this change is not necessarily negative.
“The visual impact on private and commercial dwellings is minimal.”
But Ruth Meeke, who farms on land next to the proposed cemetery is leading the campaign against the plan.
She said: “The proposed site would have large areas of hardstanding as access roads, 30 parking spaces and all weather tracks for disabled visitors to access burial plots. This is totally unacceptable development in the green belt.”
She added: “There is no need for a natural burial ground, approximately four miles away on Springhill Farm an application was granted for a natural burial ground which is yet to be developed.”
Cemetery Development Services, which is handling the plans on behalf of Aldridge Construction, told the Express & Star that the original plans for the cemetery had been withdrawn to ‘strengthen’ areas of the plan before resubmitting.
No one from Aldridge Construction or Cemetery Development Services was available for comment.
