New Cemetery Development in Dover
Why are we looking for a new cemetery in Dover?
- The existing cemeteries in Dover will all be full within the
near future
- A previous planning application to extend the St James cemetery
was refused planning consent following the advice of the
Environment Agency on groundwater protection issues
- The reuse of existing cemeteries has been investigated and
dismissed as not being feasible
Due to these three main issues a new site for a cemetery is
being sought within Dover
How has the District Council looked for a new cemetery
site?
- As this is a highly specialized area of work Dover District
Council appointed Cemetery Development Services to undertake a
comparative feasibility analysis of proposed sites to identify
which sites would be most suitable
- 23 sites were assessed against a range of criteria and given a
Unique Reference Number (URN)
- The Preferred site would need to fulfill a number of practical
and environmental requirements
- Initial consultation has been undertaken with the Environment
Agency, Kent Highway Services, the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty Unit and Kent Wildlife Trust. These organizations
have provided initial guidance on specialist areas that need to be
addressed in drawing up the proposals.
Documents
Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty (AONB)
Map showing the extent of Kent Downs AONB and
the location of the Preferred site at Elms Vale
- The Kent Downs AONB is a nationally important
landscape designated in July 1968 (the AONB has the equivalent
status to National Parks in terms of landscape quality, scenic
beauty and their planning status)
- The Kent Downs is the eighth largest
AONB in England and Wales
- National and local planning policies are very
clear that the highest priority should be given to the conservation
and enhancement of the AONB
- Initial consultation with the Kent Downs AONB
Unit has indicated that there is ‘no objection in principle’ to a
new cemetery in the AONB given there is a clear social need for
cemeteries and places of burial and memorial are long established,
if in frequent, features in the AONB
- Any new cemetery development in the AONB
should:
- follow a robust site selection
process
- be of the highest quality;
- the design should support the
primary purpose of the designation; and
- maintain the remote undeveloped
quality of the open chalk dowland valley.
How will the site be developed?
- The Elms Vale site has an overall capacity for 100 years;
- The site will be divided up into different phases;
- Phase 1 (nearest Elms Vale Road) would be developed first;
- Initial infrastructure to support Phase 1 (creation of a main
entrance off Elms Vale Road, car parking, burial plots) would be
put in place; and
- Subsequent phases of the cemetery development would follow as
required.
Have Your Say
We want to hear your views.
Please email your comments to DarranSolley@dover.gov.uk
or telephone (01304) 872436
How can I find out further information?
For more information, please contact Property Services on
(01304) 872436 or
E-mail DarranSolley@dover.gov.uk
