Reading is expected to run out of burial space entirely by 2030. Without a solution, in just six years burials will no longer be able to take place in the borough.
The Council believes in-borough burials are a service that should continue to be offered to residents.
After an unsuccessful search for suitable alternative land both inside and near Reading, the Council’s recommendation is to return Henley Road allotments to their original intended use as cemetery land, arguing it offers the most realistic and affordable solution and would create burial space for a further 14-year period
Residents and community and faith groups can read about the proposal and have their say online by December 6 at: http://rdguk.info/WTHEt
Although most deaths result in cremation, 1 in 5 Reading residents are buried in an existing family grave or a new grave. The Council’s Bereavement Services provides new graves for burial at Henley Road Cemetery and around 165 new graves are used each year.
The cemetery will be full within the next six years, after which there would be no more ‘new’ graves available for purchase. Families with existing graves will still be able to use them.
The Council recognises the value and importance of new graves, particularly to those who do not wish to be cremated for personal, cultural, or religious reasons, and although it does not have a legal duty to provide more burial space, seeks to maintain provision.
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