New cemetery planned for Rochdale

Plans for a new cemetery, cemetery admission building and car park on Bury & Rochdale Old Road, Heywood, have been referred to the Council Regulatory Committee for a final decision.

The proposal for a new cemetery is part of a bid to meet a “clearly identified and significant shortfall” in burial plots within the borough of Rochdale.

The new cemetery will be developed on an area of undeveloped land to the north of Bury & Rochdale Old Road, between its junctions with Queen’s Park Road and Bamford Road.

The reason for recommendation has been explained in the planning document as follows:

“Although the land lies within the Green Belt, a cemetery is identified as an acceptable form of development under that policy so long as it preserves the openness of the Green Belt and it does not conflict with the purposes of including land within it.

“It is considered that the proposed single, modestly-sized building, which is an essential requirement for the cemetery, together with the other features such as the maintenance storage compounds, grave stones and access roads and paths would only have minimal impact, which would still preserve the general openness of the land overall.”

The proposal was not considered to have any adverse effects on local residential amenity nor have an unacceptable impact upon road safety.

It was recognised as early as 2003 that there is limited space remaining in the Council’s four cemeteries; at Rochdale, Middleton, Heywood and Dearnley.

An outline business case was prepared in 2008 setting out options and recommendations as to how the expected shortfall in burial spaces could be resolved and to make provision across the borough for a 35 year future period. It was estimated that approximately 190 new grave plots are provided each year across the borough and on that basis it was estimated that burial capacity would run out at Heywood cemetery by 2009, at Dearnley between 2009 and 2015 and at Rochdale between 2014 and 2019.

It is now expected that Rochdale cemetery will begin to run out of grave space from 2012 and by 2019 will have non left.

This site was chosen following “an extensive site selection process.”

Other sites, including land on Shawfield Lane, Norden, Heady Hill on Bury Road and Roch Valley Way were disregarded.

The land was originally part of the park land belonging to Bamford Hall but is now used mainly for livestock grazing.

The main vehicular entrance to the site, which is the only public entrance, is to be created at a point roughly equidistant between St Michael’s Church Primary School and the private driveway to Bamford Hall – almost opposite no. 1666 Bury & Rochdale Old Road. This entrance will comprise a two-lane access road with a set of quality ornate entrance gates.

Numerous letters of objection were received however the report summary states:

“This is clearly a relatively controversial proposal amongst neighbouring and other local residents. However, in summary, it is not considered that there are any sustainable planning objections to the approval of this application, subject to the recommended conditions to cover the relevant points of detail.”

The proposal does not involve any cremation facilities; it only involves burial facilities.

There are no plans to illuminate the cemetery as it will be closed at dusk.

Councillors at the Rochdale Township Planning meeting approved the plans but the final decision will be taken at a subsequent meeting of the Council’s Regulatory Committee in January.