Cemetery development at the local and national level

Re St Peter Terwick [2017] ECC Chi 2 is a relatively straightforward case concerning the development of a churchyard through the re-use of land formerly used for burial. However, it is important since in addition to the Chancellor’s summary of the diminishing availability of space for burial, the judgment records “the exemplary manner in which the parish has set about converting its aspiration into reality”. The Chancellor suggests that “parishes elsewhere should not be deterred by the need to ‘lift and deepen’ or to re-position memorials”; furthermore, he indicates that in future cases, the court would be happy to give directions to address and determine preliminary issues where proposals for the reuse of graveyards are under consideration. Continue reading →