READING Borough Council is set to consider plans to return allotment grounds in the town to their former use as burial land amid a continued cemetery space crisis.
Burial space in Reading is expected to run out entirely by 2030 and the council has said it will be left without a solution and burials will no longer be able to take place in Reading.
The council it “strongly believes” burial within the borough is a service which it should continue to offer to residents.
It is therefore set to consider the recommendation that the allotments on Henley Road should be returned to cemetery grounds, which would create burial space for a further 14 years.
The site is marked as reserve cemetery ground, and its use as communal growing space was granted temporarily.
It follows public consultation on the proposals which took place last year, which included an online questionnaire, two public meetings, and individual discussions with faith groups.
A total of 330 responses were received, of which 64 responses were from current Henley Road allotment holders.
Just over 40% (134 responses), including 2 allotment holders, supported using the Henley Road allotment site for new graves; 41.5% (137 responses) disagreed, including 62 allotment holders.
Just over 46% (153 responses) believe the Council should continue to provide burials in Reading; 26.4% (87 responses) disagreed, including 62 allotment holders.
Just over 40% (133 responses) supported a new cemetery outside Reading from 2044 onwards; 26.4% (57 responses) disagreed.
Out of 45 current Henley Road allotment holders who responded to the consultation question, 26 said they would want to continue on an alternative allotment site.
Most would also seek support from the Council if relocating to a new plot, whether that is help with preparation, physical support with moving, a long and agreed notice period, or financial support to reflect crop loss.
Following a review of all consultation responses and feedback, Council officers are recommending that the preferred option remains as closing the Henley Road allotment site by July 2028 and seeking planning permission to convert it into burial space.
The recommendations, alongside the full consultation results, will be considered by Councillors at a meeting of the Council’s Policy Committee on Monday, July 17.
Councillors will additionally be asked to authorise officers to undertake the necessary detailed planning, assessments and studies to support a future planning application to covert the site back to cemetery land, and agree that the ongoing search for additional land for burial space beyond 2044 continues.
If agreed, officers would engage with existing allotment holders in the coming months to develop a detailed plan to close the site, including measures to mitigate reasonable concerns of plot holders.
Work would also include a review of policies for the future management of all of the Council’s allotments and the options available to provide replacement plots by extending some existing sites.
The shortage of burial space in Reading was first outlined in a Policy Committee report in September 2021.
A report showed that Reading residents wanting burials outside the borough would likely be charged two or three times the rate that local residents would be charged; it is estimated around one in five Reading residents would choose burial over cremation as an option.
Preliminary ground water surveys at Henley Road Allotments show it is highly likely to be suitable for burial use and be granted a permit by the Environment Agency, which is unsurprising as it is an extension of the existing cemetery to provide around 2,300 graves.
Ellie Emberson, lead councillor for Corporate Services and Resources, said: “While Henley Road is reserve cemetery ground and was therefore always likely to be required for burial space at some point, we of course recognise that for existing allotment holders the thought of uprooting and moving to an alternative plot will be upsetting, particularly for those who have cultivated at the site for several years.
“The Council feels strongly however that it should continue to offer residents the option of burial in their hometown, and this is backed up by the consultation response which shows the majority of people believe we should continue to provide burials inside Reading.
She explained: “Having exhausted all other realistic and affordable options, the recommendation is now to return the allotments to its original intended use, albeit not for some years yet, which would give plot holders considerable notice.
“If the recommendation is agreed, we are fully committed to working with allotment holders to provide alternative sites where required and to develop a detailed plan to mitigate other impacts, whether that is help in relocating or financial support.
“The consultation generated a significant number of comments in that respect, which will be invaluable in helping officers to develop a comprehensive mitigation plan.
“I’d like to thank everybody who took the time to take part in the consultation.”
