FIVE sites from across Bracknell Forest could become graveyards after warnings burial space is running out in the borough.
New graves will not be able to be created in Bracknell Forest by spring 2022 as Easthampstead Park Cemetery and Crematorium will have no space left, according to a council report.
READ MORE: Coppid Beech hotel could be joined by 54 homes
The crematorium sees 65 new burials a year adding to the 3,700 already buried at the site.
Local authorities do not have a legal requirement to provide burial space, but increasing demand on Easthampstead Park for the service means Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) could lose out on hundreds of thousands of pounds every year if it does not free-up new grounds.
READ MORE: Jobs set to be cut, deleted or filled at the council - here's why
Should the council find another two hectares of land for burial space, this could cost £1.9 million in capital costs to set up but would mean graves can be provided for up to 30 more years.
These are the five sites officers have identified which could solve the borough’s burial problem.
Easthampstead Park Cemetery and Crematorium bungalow
Undeveloped woodland between the crematorium and Beaufort Park is said to be the smallest of the five options at just 0.3 hectares.
READ MORE: Here's what this former library could become
Using this site would mean demolishing the bungalow, but if councillors decide against this they could sell the building for £350,000
Downshire Golf Course pitch and putt or Downshire Golf Course driving range
This space would mean two hectares for each site could be used for burials, but the land is under the management of Everyone Active for at least the next nine years.
A report suggested BFC would have to negotiate with the leisure providers to remove this site from their control, but this could be costly as it would mean incurring legal fees.
Other issues of land ownership could also mean more costs to the council and a report suggests exploring this option would be a “significant risk”.
Financial modelling shows residents would have to pay 56 per cent more for burial costs in order for the council to recover the cost of choosing the golf course as its new graveyard.
Great Hollands recreation ground
Land ranging from 0.9 hectares to 4.1 hectares could be available on the opposite side of South Road.
But as with the golf course, investigating whether this land is appropriate also comes as a “significant risk” to the authority as it would likely mean requiring permission from leaseholders Bracknell Town Council (BTC) and Sport England.
“Reasonable compensation” might have to be paid to BTC should any buildings on the land become unusable.
Land at Beaufort Park
Next door to the crematorium is Beaufort Park, which has up to 10 hectares of land available.
However, this space is not owned by Bracknell Forest Council and it could cost more than £2.6 million per hectare.
The land is allocated for housing developments and part of it has already been sold for this purpose.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here