Fury at new graveyard

Picturesque fields in a South Staffordshire village are being transformed into a new two-and-a-half acre graveyard, to the outrage of residents.

Workers have moved in to start widening the access into a small mud track leading to the site in Codsall in preparation for hearses and funeral parties. St Nicholas Church says the new graveyard is being created due to fears the existing burial space would be full within two years. But residents said they are “horrified” at the prospect of losing the fields to a cemetery.

They are also concerned that ancient hedgerows have been ripped up to widen the access road to the new site.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: “I think the way this has been done is disgusting. I am horrified.

“We are aware there is need for burial space but this just isn’t the right place. It backs straight on to someone’s house.

“Nobody knew anything about it, and then suddenly there’s people there ripping out the hedgerows and digging up the road.

“If we asked to take up hedgerows on our land, the council wouldn’t allow it but they just pass this through on delegated powers, and that’s it.

“Nobody had a chance to put forward their say.”

David Hamilton, who lives opposite the church in Church Road, said: “I didn’t know anything about this. It would be nice to have had more information from the church if it was their intention to extend the churchyard.”

St Nicholas put forward an application to change the use of land from agriculture in 2003. Concerns were raised about the water table at the site and, after two years of monitoring, it was approved through delegated powers by South Staffordshire Council in 2005.

But residents say they heard nothing about the plans until work started.

Codsall vicar Simon Witcombe urged any villagers with concerns to speak to him.

“The situation is that the current churchyard could be full with two or three years,” he added.