Council forced to find extra burial spaces due to housing developments across Harborough district

A surge in housing developments across Harborough has forced the council to find extra burial spaces.

Harborough District Council’s Local Plan – which shapes the future of the district until 2031 – says some 12,800 homes must be built.

But the authority says the increase in local residents would see a lack of burial spaces over the coming years.

It says to ensure there is enough room across the district it has been ‘proactive’ in its response.

This include removing the rights for people to buy ‘exclusive rights for burial’ prior to death – although people can still acquire these if they are burying someone and wish to buy space close to them.

The council is also undertaking a review to identify sites where a future cemetery – expected to cost around £1million – can be developed, and plan to extend Northampton Road cemetery.

A spokeswoman said: “For a number of years Harborough district has seen considerable growth in housing which means it has seen an ever-increasing demand for its services.

“Sometime ago the council identified a need for additional cemetery capacity and has undertaken some immediate measures to ensure current capacity can be extended into the next few years such as the removal of the right to exclusive right for burial as well as extending its current Market Harborough cemetery. We are also identifying new sites that will provide longer term cemetery provision.”

There are six cemeteries across the district in Market Harborough, Great Bowden, Great Easton, Saddington, Foxton and Blaston, which is closed for ‘new’ graves.