Tetbury Town Council faces ‘critical’ shortage of burial spaces

Tetbury Town Council is “exploring all possible options”, as it announced that it is facing a critical shortage of burial space and obstacles to finding land suitable for new plots. 

During a public meeting on Wednesday 4 September, Tetbury residents were informed that once the final plot at St Saviour’s Churchyard is taken, the town will be left without the capacity for any future burials. 

The council revealed that Tetbury’s burial situation became “increasingly” complex, following the zoning change that took effect on 1 September, which placed the town in a Source Protection Zone 2 (SPZ2).

While this zoning temporarily allows new burials, the Environment Agency reserves the right to revert the town to an SPZ1 – a designation that would prohibit all burials, hindering the council’s ability to plan for a long-term solution to its burial plot shortage.  

TTC is currently investigating alternative sites within the town’s boundaries, with one potential location being part of Tetbury’s recreation ground. 

The location has been identified for potential borehole testing to assess whether the land is suitable for burials. 

This matter is due to be discussed at the upcoming Full Council Meeting on Monday 23 September at Tetbury library. 

Beyond the suitability of the soil, the potential use of the recreation ground is tenuous, as the land is not owned by the council but is instead “in trust”, which poses a number of restrictions on the land before it could even be acquired by TTC.  

It is understood from the council that the process of acquiring the recreation ground would be “complex and quite long”, as it would involve the cooperation, agreement and approval of the Dolphin Recreation Centre (DRC) trustees, the Charity Commission and a town referendum. 

If the land were to be acquired, planning approval would also need to be obtained for burial from the Environment Agency.

However, the council anticipates that Sport England would “most likely” stipulate that an equivalent amount of new recreation space will need to be provided to replace the land being taken. 

There are concerns that the existing burial space at St Saviours Churchyard could reach full capacity before a new site is established, leading to a lack of burial facilities for residents. 

Cllr P Coleman, Mayor of Tetbury Town Council, said: “We understand the importance of this issue to the community, and we are doing everything in our power to find a viable solution.

“However, the challenges we face in terms of land ownership and the necessary permissions mean that it will take time to provide a new burial site. We will continue to update residents as the situation evolves.”

If the town fails to secure a new burial ground in a timely manner, it will result in significant disruptions to the community and the costs associated with the project will likely fall upon taxpayers, as planning, testing and permissions will require additional funds.