New £5.2M Mullenan Derry City Cemetery to open in spring 2026 with 3,380 plots and multicultural facilities

Located on the Mullenan Road, the new municipal city cemetery is set to provide 3,380 new grave sites.

Conor Canning, Head of Environment and Building Control with Derry City and Strabane District Council, addressed concerns over access due to the peripheral location of the new cemetery.

He said: “This is a 27-acre development. It’s impossible to find 27 acres within the city limits. We had a process that took many, many years to complete. We looked at many different sites within the city limits. There are a lot of technical considerations that come into play. We found ourselves looking at this site back in early 2020. It met all the technical requirements.

“We are mindful that it is on the outskirts of the city, but in reality, it’s only five minutes from the current City Cemetery. Developments of this scale simply can't take place within the city limits.”

The council, Mr Canning said, has begun initial talks with Translink and other public transport operators regarding the provision of bus services to the new location. He said: "I have to emphasize that these are early discussions with Translink and other providers.

“We know that a number of local link services pass this route, and we are looking to engage with those companies to see what solutions they can bring.

"In terms of the site itself, there are 157 parking spaces on the existing site. We are also standing on a greenway that connects down to the greenway that runs along the Foyle, so there is an option to walk or cycle to this facility. Again, this is not for everyone, but it is an option in encouraging sustainable transport."

The new site will also factor in multiple communities in Derry, and Mullenan City Cemetery will feature a Islamic burial plot, with 200 dedicated burial plots.

“We’ve done that in consultation with the Islamic community, those plots are orientated to their requirements, in that they face Mecca,” said Mr Canning.

A 'Garden of Angels' plot, which will offer approximately 100 spaces, is also planned as a specific area dedicated to babies lost through stillbirth.

“We also have a bespoke section for the interred ashes and we have a columbarium, where ashes are interred above the ground, something I suppose is new to the people of the city and district, we know cremations are becoming more and more popular again we need to reflect that in the facility,” said Conor.

One columbarium unit is currently provided, offering 40 boxes.

Approximately 50 small plots are available for ashes-only interments.

Phase two of the site will have additional car parking and a building that can be used as a place to pay respects or to host refreshments after a burial.

Chair of the Environment Regeneration Committee, SDLP Councillor Declan Norris, shared his thoughts on the new site. He said: “They have really thought of everything. This is a multicultural burial site, and the Garden of Angels design is lovely. I think it's a fantastic design.”

The budget for Mullenan City Cemetery in phase one is £5.2 million.