New Derry city cemetery : ‘Vital’ people are kept informed - MLA

Sinn Féin MLA Padraig Delargy was speaking after the Derry Journal today revealed the Council has now completed the land acquisition for the new cemetery at a site on the Mullenan Road in the Nixon’s Corner / Killea/ Carrigans area near the border with Donegal for the new cemetery.

The Council has also confirmed that planning permission will be sought over the coming days for an extension of the current City Cemetery to incorporate lands on Southway.

Commenting on the news today, Mr Delargy said: “We have seen major work take place in the City Cemetery over recent years, particularly at the Lone Moor Road end and the opening of new burial sites

“I commend Council staff for their work to upkeep this land and for the compassionate services they provide to many people and families in difficult circumstances on losing a loved one.

“But it is coming close to the time when the City Cemetery will reach its full capacity.

“It can be a very long process to get a site that suits the needs of the city for the next twenty to thirty years and it’s vital that people’s views are heard and people are kept informed of the plans as this project moves forward.”

The acquisition of lands for a new cemetery in the cityside follows a decade-long project to secure a new site for burials due to capacity issues at the City Cemetery, which has been the resting place of over 77,000 local people for generations.

It has been confirmed that a previous scoping exercise honing in on a large site on the outskirts of the city has moved forward.

A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council said that it has recently completed on the acquisition of lands on the Mullenan Road “that will allow Council to plan the development of a new strategic cemetery on the west bank of the city”.

The spokesperson said: “This new cemetery would allow for a minimum of 20 years burial capacity with the potential for further expansion on to adjoining lands.”

The City Cemetery opened in 1853, but is set to reach capacity within the next few years.