Crematorium plans refused

Plans to build a crematorium behind a Staffordshire cemetery have been thrown out at the first hurdle by Cannock Chase District Council.

Proposals were drawn up to build the crematorium behind Stile Cop Cemetery in Brereton, Cannock, and were lodged with the council.

But planners said the development – which would have been a single storey building with a caretaker's flat – was in green belt land and developers had to show special circumstances for approval.

Brereton and Ravenhill Parish Council had not raised any objections when the plans came to light as the nearest crematoriums are currently in Stafford and Wolverhampton.

District council planning officers used their delegated powers to refuse permission for the development which would have been sited off Stile Cop Road.

Plans also included a new road leading to the structure and the provision of car parking.

Councillor Gerald Molineux, a district and parish councillor for Brereton and Ravenhill, said: "Personally, I was happy for it to proceed.

"There's somewhat of a monopoly and distance between the crematoriums we have got and, unfortunately, given the number of people on this planet we do have a need for these facilities."

He added: "Locally, in Brereton, we were in support of this scheme, providing it was built correctly."