Reading considers turning Henley Road allotments into burial grounds to extend burial space until 2044.
The council asked the public about this plan last fall, receiving three hundred thirty responses. Sixty-four responses came from allotment holders. Forty-six percent agreed with Reading burials, while forty percent agreed to use the Henley Road site.
However, forty-one percent disagreed, including sixty-two allotment holders.
Twenty-six allotment holders want another site and council help with the move, including prepping, assistance, and a long notice. They also want money for lost crops. Council officers plan to close the allotments by July 2028 and will seek permission for burial space there.
Councillors will discuss this on July 17. If approved, they’ll talk to allotment holders and create a plan to address their issues. This plan will review allotment rules and explore expanding other sites, where new plots would replace the lost ones.
The lead councillor acknowledges this is hard for holders. They will try to offer burials within Reading. Other land near Reading is too pricey, making Henley Road a good candidate for burials as an annex to the current cemetery.
The site could hold about two thousand three hundred graves, extending capacity to 2044. The project may cost about £3.13 million, for which the council has planned funds.
Reading has known about this issue for some time. A 2021 report showed the high cost of burials outside town. Many residents still choose burial over cremation.