Oxford City Council has agreed to progress with plans to create a new burial meadow.
Oxford Burial Meadow will see a new public meadow and burial site created in 17 acres of land off Oxford Road.
The burial meadow will feature trees, wildflower meadows and paths linking to Shotover Woods.
The site will also be large enough to accommodate about 45 years of burials, though the amount of space on site available for burials is subject to planning permission.
The City Council’s Cabinet approved the proposals and allocated £2.4m to deliver the scheme at a meeting last night (13/9).
The City Council, which owns the land, will now seek planning permission from South Oxfordshire District Council.
New burial meadow
Oxford is currently running out of new burial plots and, as a result, the City Council carried out an extensive search for potential new burial sites.
The 17-acres of land off Oxford Road, which is currently used for farming, was found to be the most suitable site.
Oxford Burial Meadow has been designed to enhance the biodiversity of the site by strengthening the network of tree cover and improving wildlife habitats.
It will also provide better leisure and walking opportunities around Shotover Woods for local residents.
The City Council carried out a public consultation on the proposals in July, which found that 91% of respondents were in favour of the scheme.
The City Council is aiming to submit a planning application this autumn. If planning permission is granted, detailed design and delivery stages will then begin.
“Oxford Burial Meadow will create a peaceful burial site in a natural landscape setting, and will provide burials for Oxford residents of all faiths and cultures for decades to come.
“The consultation brought forward some really good ideas for improving the outline designs, and we would like to thank everyone who took part.”
Councillor Chewe Munkonge, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Parks
Rate this page
