Councils call for cemetery decision to be reversed

The town and parish councils are calling on Wiltshire Council to reverse its decision not to extend Melksham Cemetery as it nears capacity.

Melksham Town Council and Melksham Without Parish Council have agreed to write to Wiltshire Council requesting that it reconsider its decision not to extend the cemetery on land along the A350

The call comes after Wiltshire Council predicted that new burial plots could run out by April, following its latest review of cemetery provision. Space for ashes and Muslim burials is expected to last until around 2027.

Wiltshire Council confirmed last year that it would no longer extend cemeteries under its management to “ensure fairness across Wiltshire”, as most burial grounds in the county are now operated by town or parish councils.

If Wiltshire Council does not change its position, the two local councils say they will explore funding an extension themselves using money from their joint Community Infrastructure Levy allocation, which is paid by developers building new homes in the area.

At Melksham Town Council’s Full Council meeting on 16th February, officers were also asked to research planning and environmental rules around burial provision, including flooding constraints.

Cllr Phil Alford, a member of the town council’s cemeteries working group, said land could potentially become available through large housing developments on the edge of the town or within the parish. He said the councils could seek land for cemetery use as part of community benefit agreements.

He said, “Before we even consider going down that route, we wanted to be sure what the planning issues were around it because we know we have a lot of issues with flooding in the area.”

Wiltshire Council has previously said that any proposal to extend Melksham Cemetery would require a change in its current policy, alongside planning permission and infrastructure improvements, which would need additional funding.

While most cemeteries in the county are now managed by town and parish councils, Wiltshire Council continues to manage Melksham Cemetery. In 2023, it said that when cemeteries reach capacity it will not provide additional space but will offer local councils the opportunity to take them on.

Pictured: Cllr Phil Alford at Melksham Cemetery