THE Issa brothers have come up with plans for a new cemetery on land between Blackburn and Oswaldtwistle, the Lancashire Telegraph can reveal.

If approved, the plans will see a cemetery built on the land off Blackburn Road near West End Business Park on the outskirts of Oswaldtwistle.

The forecourt magnates, who run the Blackburn-headquartered EG Group and who own Asda supermarkets, are submitting an application to Hyndburn Council. The size of the development is said to be around 90 acres.

Presently, the main cemeteries in the areas are at Pleasington in Blackburn and Burnley Road in Accrington. This new development is aimed to service communities across East Lancashire.

The plans include the formation of burial plots and the construction of an administration building. There will also be a ‘funeral parlour’ and prayer pavilions comprising prayer halls and condolence rooms.

In addition, caretaker accommodation will be constructed on-site and there will be provision for 665 car parking spaces located ‘in the main parking areas and throughout the internal road network’.

Extensive landscaping across the grounds are included in the proposals with internal paths and roadways throughout the site.

The development comes on the back of several major construction projects in and around Blackburn which have been led by the EG Group owners.

This site is just up the road from the brothers’ £100million Frontier Park complex which has a service station, several food outlets, a ‘Hampton by Hilton’ hotel and various industrial units.

Hyndburn councillor Munsif Dad said the council was approached with the proposals a year a go.

He said: “It is something I am well aware of and something the council has looked at and had some input into.

“I am grateful that the brothers have reached out and consulted us first. From the initial meetings it seems like a good idea and something is very much needed in the area.

“Many Muslim burial sites are getting full. If it meets the needs of the community then it is something we would welcome.

“They have been around the UK looking at how other projects such as this have developed and they have good sound understanding from what I could see.”

Cllr Dad added: “Of course applications are assessed on planning laws and we look forward to seeing further details.”

Cllr Noordad Aziz said an investment of this nature may be of benefit to local communities. “Whenever the Issa Brothers have looked to invest or develop locally it has been beneficial to the area. The project is definitely something to be looked at,” he said.