Cheshire East gives go-ahead for coffin burials at South Cheshire ecological burial site
Cheshire East has given the go-ahead for coffins to be buried at an ecological burial ground at Shavington, despite concerns raised about flooding and groundwater pollution.
Santune Meadows is a natural burial site which already has permission for urn interments.
The application discussed at Wednesday's June 4 meeting of the southern planning committee was to amend two conditions to the 2021 permission, to allow coffin burials on the site.
This would involve raising the land levels where the coffin burials would take place.
Ward councillor Linda Buchanan (Labour), speaking as a visiting member, told the meeting: "I fear that raising the level of land next to homes and fields that are already at a lower level than the current burial ground will put this area at increased risk of flooding.
"If this application is granted permission, there will need to be vigilant enforcement, monitoring and compliance to prevent serious related issues."
Mr Atteridge, a civil engineer who spoke on behalf of a nearby resident whose garden already floods, questioned the monitoring of the drainage installation and the groundwater.
"The overwatch on this is going to be who is responsible for making sure that everything that gets agreed today in this planning application is actually installed and working as it's supposed to," he said.
"A drain that's installed improperly, that doesn't work because it isn't tested, is not a drain. It's a hazard to flooding."
Former Shavington parish councillor Bill Cooper spoke on behalf of the 22 people who had written to the council supporting the application and the 151 who had signed the petition in favour of it.
He described Santune Meadows as 'an idyllic place' for people to be laid to rest.
Planning officer Daniel Evans said the land levels on the site had to be raised for the coffin burials to prevent groundwater pollution.
"In terms of that issue, clearly the environment agency are the expert consultee," said Mr Evans.
"They have considered over a number of months the information which has been provided, and they have raised no objection.
"United Utilities have also gone into some depth in considering the impact in terms of groundwater pollution, and there's no objection from United Utilities."
He added: "There's going to be continuous monitoring as part of level changes on the site, which is going to take place in three stages."
Crewe councillor Ben Wye (Labour), said he was confident in the experts 'views that the flood risk is going to be mitigated and he was reassured by the monitoring promise.
Fellow Crewe councillor Jill Rhodes (Labour), wasn't as confident.
"From my perspective, the water level table is too high for this to be a good site for coffin burials," said Cllr Rhodes.
"Basically, you're having to put soil on top of soil because there isn't enough soil to bury the coffin and it not float. I think that's quite worrying."
She added: "But for me, this is all about enforcement and my experience of enforcement for Cheshire East is, because they are so busy, that unless there is a complaint, then matters are not double checked."
Holmes Chapel councillor Andrew Kolker (Conservative), said they'd had the advice from the relevant expert authorities, scrutinised it and he proposed the application be approved.
This was seconded by Cllr Roger Morris (Crewe, Conservative). The application was approved with seven councillors voting in favour and four abstained.
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