Work due to start on cemetery improvements next Monday

* A package of improvements at Llangollen Cemetery are due to start next week.

Work is due to start next Monday on a package of improvements at Llangollen Cemetery.

This includes increased burial provision for 322 graves and onsite parking plus a new access for vehicles at the bottom of the cemetery accessed from Vicarage Road.  

An officer's report recently approved by Denbighshire County Council describes how the authority has secured Shared Prosperity and capital funding to deliver "much needed" infrastructure improvements at the cemetery. 

The report says: "Vehicular access to the cemetery is currently only possible by traffic driving through the adjacent housing estate, which is narrow and difficult to navigate, this has resulted in some complaints being received from residents in recent years.

"To address the current issues and improve accessibility to the cemetery, it is proposed to create a new vehicular access at the bottom of the cemetery which will be accessed via Vicarage Road. 

"This improvement will not only facilitate easier access for visitors but will enable funeral directors to access the site without disturbing neighbouring residents as well as providing onsite parking at the cemetery."

The report adds: "Additionally, the cemetery is nearing full capacity with less than 12 months of burial provision remaining within the current older section of the cemetery. 

"The adjoining land located to the south of the site, which has in recent years been used for grazing, has always been earmarked for future burial provision when required. This project will develop the infrastructure on this plot of land for increased burial provision. 

* A site plan showing the existing cemetery hatched in black and the additional burial area at the top, hatched in red, bordering onto Vicarage Road.

"There will also be some minor landscaping completed including tree planting in some areas around the car park to enhance the appearance of the site along with improvements to aid biodiversity such as installation of bat and bird boxes.

"The construction phase of the project will take approximately 10 weeks to complete  - weather depending - with works expected to start on site week commencing May 11."

The improvements have been welcomed by Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards who said: "I welcome the proposed improvements at Llangollen Cemetery, particularly the plans to increase future burial provision at a time when the existing site is nearing capacity. 

"I discussed the need for this work with officers in early 2025, and it is positive to see the project now being delivered, with works due to begin this month. 

"It is important that we plan ahead to ensure the community continues to have appropriate and respectful facilities, and I welcome the inclusion of landscaping and biodiversity enhancements as part of this scheme."

* A plan highlighting the additional grave capacity, marked in red, the new car park to the right, in grey, the footpaths, in darker grey, and the access for maintenance vehicles from the top left to the parking area, cross-hatched in black.