Rye cemetery expansion plan

Rother District Council, which is responsible for the facility, says the cemetery will be full within the next two or three years unless the site is expanded.

The council had initially hoped to expand the cemetery to the west, but problems with acquiring the land scuppered Rother’s plans. Now, following a ground radar survey, RDC wants to expand the cemetery to the north.

It says this will provide sufficient capacity for burials for a further 30 years, based on the current rate.

The cost of the work is expected to come from council reserves, with a maximum spend of £20,000.

Of this final amount, £15,900 will be used to create a pedestrian pathway and turning circle, while clearance, soft landscaping and seeding is expected to cost £770.

An access gate for vehicles will set the council back by £480.

The budget will include a contingency fund totalling £2,572.

In a report to be presented to Rother’s cabinet meeting on Monday (November 2), Dr Anthony Leonard, executive director of services at RDC, said: “If development of this area of the cemetery does not take place alternative space will be required to meet the demand. Land adjacent to the cemetery is in private ownership and it is expected that this would require a compulsory purchase order to complete the land transfer.

“Land away from the existing cemetery site could also be considered, however, this would require infrastructure and incur additional grounds maintenance charges.”

If councillors give the go ahead for the project and the funding, work will begin on the site ‘at the earliest opportunity’.

The meeting is open to the public.

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