Elham Asaad Buaras
Bradford Council has approved plans to develop a new Muslim cemetery in response to growing demand for burial space across the district.
Despite recent expansions at Scholemoor and Bowling cemeteries, the council said additional provision is required to ensure sufficient capacity for the Muslim community through to 2050.
A council report said the southern part of the district currently accommodates around 420 Muslim burials each year, a figure projected to rise to approximately 450 annually by the mid-2030s.
At a council meeting on January 27, funding of £3.4 million was approved to identify and purchase land for the new cemetery, alongside £3.6 million already allocated for development works.
The proposed site forms part of the next phase of Bradford Council’s wider overhaul of bereavement services, a programme first announced in 2016, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
So far, the programme has delivered a new crematorium in Heaton, replacing the ageing Nab Wood facility, and upgrades at Oakworth Crematorium. Work is also under way on a new crematorium in Bierley, which will replace the existing site at Scholemoor.
In addition, the Muslim burial area at Scholemoor has already been expanded, with further cemetery space created at Bowling Cemetery.
The report said it was “likely to take several years” before the new Muslim cemetery becomes operational due to the complexity of site identification, planning, and development.
Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said, “When people come to this service it is the most tragic time in their lives, so we need to make sure it is the best possible service.”
Feature photo: Scholemoor Cemetery and Crematorium in Bradford, where the Muslim burial area has recently been expanded as part of wider bereavement service upgrades. The council has now approved plans for a new Muslim cemetery to meet rising demand across the district. (Credit: Bradford Council)
