Space for the living or space for the dead?

The increasing shortage of burial space in our towns and cities was again highlighted on Saturday, by Radio Four’s Today programme. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ym5f4/Today_19_02_2011/

Listeners heard how Southwark Council has promised to hold a public consultation on an application to use a cemetery-bound recreation ground for burials, in order to provide much-needed grave space.

Local funeral director Nicki Dunphy spoke about the impact of full cemeteries.  She said that when families had to buy burial plots in other boroughs, as non-residents they faced three or four-fold price increases – which could be up to £9,000.

But of course local residents want to protect their open spaces too – and a local café owner busy collecting signatures on a petition, pledged that the planning application would be granted ‘over his dead body’.

Here at Woodland Burial Parks we stress that everyone is welcome – and we certainly don’t charge extra for people living further away.  Old traditions die hard and we understand that  many families want a plot in their local cemetery.  But unless graves are re-used then alternatives will have to be considered and we’d like to think we’ve got a very attractive offer, which provides space for both the dead – and the living.