Councillors approve projects to alleviate pressure on North Lanarkshire cemeteries

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Councillors have approved projects designed to alleviate pressure on cemeteries in North Lanarkshire. The council has predicted it will run out of burial space within ten years, with the sole exception of the Muslim section of Eastfield Cemetery in Cumbernauld.

It has a total of 15 operational cemeteries, with seven of those offering new lairs.At a recent committee meeting, councillors approved proposals which included finding an alternative site for a new cemetery in Coatbridge, changes to the planned Pather Farm cemetery, and to prioritise the creation of further cemeteries based on the date existing facilities are expected to run out of space.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android The council had intended to extend Coltswood Cemetery in Coatbridge using the only available adjacent land, disused sports pitches in Morven Street, but this has fallen through due to an unfavourable report from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency which was concerned about potential problems with flooding and other issues at the site.

There are three main means of providing additional space for burials, including developing underused sections of existing cemeteries, expanding them to adjoining plots of land or building completely new cemeteries.