Site investigations at a number of Pendle cemeteries have identified extra space for future burial plots, and further tests are due at one site.

Pendle Council has discussed the need to provide new burial space across the borough, along with space for internment of ashes and memorial walls, at a number of meetings. An update came at the latest meeting of its executive.

The council has already set aside £79,000 for Ghyll Cemetery work. Executive councillors welcomed recent tests at Ghyll and approved allocating a further £30,000 towards more surveys, detailed designs and planning management fees for the site.

Based on experience with new cemetery provision in Nelson, where land at Halifax Road has been identified for future needs, councillors were told the Environment Agency is likely to ask for detailed information about any other new cemetery projects.

Officer David Walker gave an update. In recent years, he said the higher rate of burials through the Covid-19 pandemic and the pre-buying of plots had impacted on the availability of spaces across the borough. Officers have looked at Earby, Salterforth, Ghyll Meadows, Barrowford and Colne cemeteries to ensure there is enough space for future needs.

A new report stated Colne Cemetery currently has 120 plots available providing five years of use. Barrowford has 62 plots or five years’ use, Ghyll has 50 plots available providing eight years of space, Earby has 112 plots or 17 years of space. Salterforth has over 40 years of space left, based on current recorded burial rates.

The number of forecasted burial spaces at some locations has increased because of recent work to recover or develop parts of cemeteries previously seen as unusable, because of rocks or foliage cover.

Initial reports for Colne and Earby were positive, confirming both sites could be suitable for further investigation, officers said. Further work will be arranged once investigations are completed on possible extension sites for Ghyll and Barrowford.

Regarding Ghyll, Mr Walker said initial studies were not positive because tests had found shallow groundwater or rock. However, there is an area of just under half an acre in size which could create space for around 300 plots. Some parts could be used for planting memorial trees and memorial walls for the internment of ashes.

If councillors chose to develop the Ghyll site, officers believe an income of around £545,000 could be achieved over the extended life of the cemetery, based on the predicted number of burials and internments.

Further surveying is to be completed at Colne cemetery. But no further work has been ordered on land next to the existing Colne or Earby cemeteries because Ghyll and Barrowford Memorial cemetery are forecasted to be the two sites which need to be extended first.

Creating new income is important, the update report added. The purchase of land at Halifax Road in Nelson and future development has effectively tied-up a large amount of financial ‘capital’ resources available to the council. This restricts what it can do across other cemeteries unless it generates additional resources to fund developments.

Independent Coun Zafar Ali said: “The positive outcome from work has set up Pendle quite nicely for space for the future. Regarding Ghyll, I hope councillors will support the recommendations. If we are successful, we are looking at a 50 year life span for the cemeteries identified and bringing in extra income over costs.”

Councillors welcomed the update and approved £30,000 to complete studies at Ghyll.