BURIAL space is running out at Leominster’s cemetery with estimates pointing to the site being full within two years.

Land is available nearby which could provide space for a further 50 years but environmental studies need to be carried out on land first.

A report, by Herefordshire Council’s head of technical and parking services, this week outlined the lack of space at the cemetery off Hereford Road but states a possibility of an extension on an area of council land within the existing site.

But any extension to a cemetery requires approval by the Environment Agency – to ensure it would not result in pollution to water courses – and a number of environmental studies must first be formalised.

The council now wants permission to give the goahead to TGMS Ltd which has carried out a preliminary assessment and supplied costing for carrying out the first two stages of work, including liaising with the Environment Agency.

The problem concerning the lack of available burial grounds is not confined to Leominster or Herefordshire.

A 2013 survey by the BBC suggested that almost half of England’s cemeteries could run out of space within 20 years.

A quarter of 358 local authorities responding to that survey said they would have no more room for burials within a decade.

Herefordshire Council said it had between 25 and 30 years of burial space left when asked in 2013.

Once the studies have been completed and the Environment Agency has granted approval for the extension, Leominster Town Council has indicated an interest in taking over the site.

A spokesman for the town council said: “There is an extension available but it has to meet the Environment Agency’s guidelines and there has to be an assessment carried out first.

“Leominster Town Council has said it will consider taking over the cemetery to extend life”