CONCERNS have been raised over proposals to turn grassland at Poole Crematorium, near where ashes are interred, into a burial ground.

Borough of Poole is seeking planning permission for change of use to bury approximately 500 bodies at the Gravel Hill crematorium in a bid to help solve the town’s lack of burial space.

An average of 50 people a year are buried in the town, while there are around 2,300 cremations. However residents who have family members interred on the site have raised concerns about the proposed change of use.

Tina Berry of Parkstone, has objected to the plans saying: “I myself have two family members’ ashes there and I don’t think it’s right to upset me and a lot of people by putting graves where people’s loved ones are. It is a place of peace and a place to reflect. It is very disrespectful to even think of putting graves where people have laid ashes of loves ones to rest.”

And Vivienne Balson of Hamworthy said: “Why use a crematorium grounds to then bury people, upsetting them if ashes are bring disturbed?”

However a spokesman for Borough of Poole said: “No ashes will be moved or disturbed by this.”

The council says the area of lawn proposed for burials is separate from that used for the interment of ashes.

The town’s cemeteries, Poole, Parkstone and Branksome, are pretty full and the council has been considering ways to provide more space. By removing some access roads, parking areas and paths, a further 705 spaces can be provided across the three.

“We have gone back and looked at our existing cemeteries,” said Tim Martin, head of legal and democratic services. “There is a lot of wasted space.”

Another idea was to provide a mausoleum at the disused chapel at Poole Cemetery – a wall in which coffins are stored – and this was being looked into.