Huddersfield cemetery boss says she could prevent ‘burial crisis’ and save taxpayers millions

Jul 16 2010 by Nick Lavigueur, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Huddersfield cemetery boss says she could prevent ‘burial crisis’ and save taxpayers millions

A BURIAL ground owner has said she could save Kirklees Council millions of pounds, after it claimed it was in the midst of a crisis.

The council last week announced plans to spend up to £2m to create a new cemetery at Farnley Hey.

The controversial Hey Lane development, on a Green Belt site beneath Castle Hill, was supported after councillors were told south Kirklees was suffering a burial crisis. It claimed there was space left for only another four to six months for Muslim burials and nine months for other burials.

But protestors, including Newsome councillor Andrew Cooper, said it was in an inappropriate location.

Now Susan Brook, of Rose Hill Natural Burial Ground, Birkby, says she could solve everybody’s problems but has been ignored by councillors.

Mrs Brook said there was 20 years’ worth of burial space at her Birkby Hall Road site, which could save taxpayers as much as £5m.

Mrs Brook, who has run the facility with her husband Michael for more than five years, said: “Kirklees Council try to pretend we don’t exist.

“We had a customer recently that had phoned Kirklees’ bereavement services and asked if there was any natural burial grounds in the area and was told to go to Sheffield.

“I can’t understand them wanting to develop all around Castle Hill which is a wonderful monument, and spoil that view, when they need spend no money at all.

“We could provide 5,000 spaces at no cost to the taxpayer at all.”