In response to a pressing need for additional burial space, North Yorkshire Council submitted proposals to extend the cemetery at Pateley Bridge – a site that has served the Nidderdale community since 1874.
The planned expansion extended the existing cemetery into an adjacent grazing field, enabling the site to continue offering burial provision for generations to come.
The extension also ensures that families across Nidderdale retain the ability to be laid to rest alongside loved ones.
The problem
Current burial rates indicated the cemetery could reach full capacity within the next two years, with the council seeking a long-term solution to protect a “critical community service” for local residents.
Originally divided into designated areas for Church of England burials and burials for people of other faiths, the cemetery contained more than 950 memorials. Recognising future demand, the former Harrogate Borough Council proactively purchased the neighbouring land from Pateley Bridge Town Council in anticipation of the extension.
Following Local Government Reorganisation, the project was transferred to the newly formed North Yorkshire Council, which then commissioned NY Highways to manage the delivery of the construction of the extension, including cemetery roads, paths and drainage.
Risks identified that had to be navigated included; restricted construction access to the site, ongoing public use of the existing cemetery, the steep incline of the land, and the site’s heritage designation.
The solution
The project included proposals for an extended access road and footpath, and new burial and ash interment areas. Enhanced soft landscaping would help to integrate the development into the rural surroundings, featuring trees, hedgerows, and heather.
The development also entailed the addition of an access roadway, additional pathways and roadways, and parking spaces for the funeral procession. The road required the creation of a crib lock retaining wall due to the steep gradient, which improved the parking access.
Access to the site was restricted due to narrow entry routes between heritage pillars and walls, as well as the requirement to pass through a private residence. As a result, the site compound was placed outside the site, and materials and equipment were transported to the site using smaller vehicles to mitigate access constraints
The result
The Pateley Bridge Cemetery extension has successfully delivered a long-term solution to meet the community’s future burial needs. NY Highways completed the extension which
included construction of new access roads, paths and drainage, overcoming challenges posed by limited site access, ongoing public use, steep terrain and the area’s heritage status.
The extended burial and ash interment areas, supported by new parking provision for funeral vehicles and improved footpath links, have increased the site’s capacity and usability.
Enhanced landscaping has integrated the development sensitively into the surrounding countryside, preserving the character of this historic site.
As a result, the cemetery can now continue to serve the Nidderdale community for generations, safeguarding this essential local service well into the future.
The Lead Officer of the project for the client, North Yorkshire Council’s Bereavement Services, said:
“I found the NY Highways officers involved in this project to be friendly, responsive, and professional in all my dealings with them… They were open and flexible about finding solutions to challenges that came up during the building of this site. I found the work to be of a high standard and the outcome of the new cemetery extension was very pleasing. We have three other cemetery extension projects to deliver in the next 2-3 years, and I look forward to working with NY Highways again to ensure successful outcomes to them.”