South Holland District Council is actively working on plans to expand the Spalding Cemetery as its current capacity nears completion. The council has declared this expansion a necessity, though it remains uncertain when the cemetery will reach full capacity. At present, environmental tests on the Chiltern Drive playing field are being carried out to evaluate its potential use as a cemetery, an idea that has been met with resistance from local inhabitants who use the field for recreation.
David Jones, a local resident, expressed his worries, arguing: “An increasing number of children stay indoors instead of playing outside. Places like this, which are safe, should be used to inspire these children to come outdoors. If this field is converted into a cemetery, children will have no place to play and would be confined to their homes. Such a reality would be quite tragic.”
Another resident, Rodney Marks, added: “The need of the hour is for South Holland District Council to look beyond our green spaces, which are currently being used for exercise and recreation.”
Spalding Cemetery, which is located adjacent to the Chiltern Drive playing field, has faced similar expansion problems in the past. An application made in 2012 to extend the cemetery into the playing field encountered strong opposition, including a petition that was signed by more than 100 residents and faced objection from Sport England. These plans were eventually dismissed in 2015 due to concerns about the loss of recreational space.
Currently, environmental evaluations are being conducted to study the effect of burials on the levels of groundwater. The council claims to be committed to making decisions only after all potential impacts and risks have been fully assessed. This decision-making process is happening amidst a national conversation concerning the lack of space for burial, with recent proposals from the Law Commission suggesting the possible reuse of existing graves.
The council is looking forward to resolving this issue within the following year, to ensure that cemetery services in Spalding remain viable.
This article is based on the original reporting by www.bbc.com, and has been adapted for The Lincoln Post.
