'Building homes at former cemetery disrespectful'

Plans to build homes at a former cemetery in Shrewsbury are disrespectful, campaigners say.

More than 200 people are buried in the former Wellspring Apostolic Church cemetery off Belle Vue Road, where developers have applied to build eight homes, garages and a memorial garden.

The grounds were established in 1852, for those deemed dissenters and whose burials were not accepted by the Church of England.

Campaigners say 43 gravestones will be moved into a memorial garden, while the remains of those buried would remain underneath the homes. The developers have stressed they will follow a strict legal process as set out by the Ministry of Justice, respectfully deal with anything they discover.

But Brenda Fairley, from Save Our Green Space group, said grave owners were "horrified" to learn what the plans would involve.

She said: "You'd be visiting your great‑grandfather's memorial in a dark passageway, but his remains would be somewhere under a house or a garage.

"It's deeply disrespectful. These are people with histories, families, stories. They're not just names on stones."

An archaeological report in the application for the development said that, where possible, it should be designed so the ground is not disturbed to a depth likely to impact the graves.

Fairley said several families with relatives buried there had already lodged formal objections.

A public meeting last week drew more than 100 residents, with concerns focused on the treatment of existing graves and the principle of building over burial plots.

Campaigners said the proposals had caused "real distress" among descendants.

"This is the last remaining green space in this part of Belle Vue, But more importantly, it's a burial ground. People deserve dignity, even in death," Fairley said.

The developers told the BBC they felt the plans were "well considered" and sensitive.

In a statement, they said: "The scheme seeks to balance the historic significance of the site, the character of the surrounding area and the need for additional housing in Shrewsbury.

"Unfortunately, we believe some information currently being circulated does not accurately reflect what is proposed, which has contributed to concerns within the wider community."

It said if approved, it would work with the council to ensure respectful treatment of any human remains or monuments affected by the plans.

The statement also said mature trees will be retained wherever possible and unhealthy or "inappropriate" ones removed.

It also address concerns regarding traffic in the area, but said the scheme provides 16 allocated parking spaces with four additional garages to provide a strong level of provision and help minimised additional pressure on the surrounding streets.

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