PLANS have been submitted to extend the cemetery and car park at St Martin’s Parish Church on land between the church and the nearby rectory.
The application proposes using part of two adjoining fields to create a new burial area while also enlarging the existing church car park and improving pedestrian access to the site.
Documents submitted as part of the application by Parish Secretary Charles Alluto state that the current cemetery’s capacity is expected to run out within five to 10 years.
The proposed extension would be prepared in advance and allowed to settle during this period before coming into use.
If approved, the new cemetery would provide space for around 420 graves and could serve the parish for approximately 40 years.
According to the application, the burial ground would be divided into two sections.
One area would accommodate traditional burials with headstones, while another would be reserved for “green burials”, where graves would not have headstones but instead be marked by native trees or shrubs planted in memory of the deceased.
Locations in the green burial section would be indicated by wooden stakes with plaques, identifying where individuals are buried.
The parish has also indicated that kerbs and gravel surrounds would not be permitted in the new cemetery area in order to simplify maintenance and help retain a natural appearance.
As part of the proposal, the existing hoggin and gravel car park would be extended northwards to provide additional space for funeral vehicles and visitors attending church services.
The plans include 23 additional parking spaces, as well as three accessibility spaces and an eight bike rack within the existing car park area.
The application also proposes a new hoggin footpath linking Rue des Eaisies to the church site, improving pedestrian access for parishioners and connecting with existing pathways across the grounds.
New tree and hedge planting would be introduced around the perimeter of the cemetery extension, which the application states would help strengthen wildlife corridors between the surrounding fields.
The application, which has been classified as ‘major’, is under consideration by the Planning Department.
