Photographs reveal the near completion of expansion work at Bowling Cemetery, increasing burial space after a £2.4 million investment.
Back in 2023, expansion plans emerged consisting of nearly £2.4 million that the council planned to spend to increase burial space in Bradford; these plans were first shared in late 2022 for the cemetery off Rooley Lane.
Bradford Council intended to boost cemeteries by spending almost £6 million; in 2022, the Council made an announcement that they wished to use vacant land for burials, land that they purchased long ago but sat unused near the cemetery.
This purchase occurred over 140 years prior, and the land remained vacant since the 1880s; now, the plan involves using the land for burials, which aligns with the Council’s bereavement strategy and that they consider this a lawful development since the land was always meant for burials.
A 2023 report detailed the project’s costs: The £2.38 million covers access, leveling, and drainage; options for significant burial activity are very limited besides what the Council provides, as Scholemoor’s Muslim burial ground is shrinking, other south-district cemeteries lack space, and only Bowling Cemetery had suitable room.
The work is almost complete now, and Councillor Sarah Ferriby talked about the investment by mentioning modernizing facilities and creating additional capacity to provide quality, sympathetic surroundings which is important when people grieve.
Janaza Announcements welcomed the work and this Muslim bereavement service spoke its mind when work began in January 2024 by having a spokesperson convey their excitement, celebrate the expansion’s start, and thank everyone for their hard work as this showed community achievement.