Dunboyne cemetery extension approved by council

Plans for an extension to the existing cemetery at Rooske Road, Dunboyne, have been approved by Meath County Council. The development includes an extension to the graveyard of approximately 0.94 hectares, the removal of an existing hedge, construction of roads, paths, a parking area, toilet block and store. The plans have been placed on public display and one submission was received by an adjacent resident who raised concerns about the impact of the proprietary wastewater treatment system on his domestic well, the boundary treatment proposed, the amount of parking and the lack of proposals for bins and skips. Responding to the submission, planner Fergal " Bric said that the council proposed to build a two-metre high block wall on the boundary between the householder and the proposed car park to protect their privacy. He said the council had reviewed the number of parking spaces proposed and was of the opinion that an increase in the proposed number of spaces would lead to a reduction of parking on the existing road and make for a safer environment for both road-users and visitors to the cemetery. The report states that to achieve the additonal spaces, the parking identified can be extended into the south-west corner of the proposed burial area and that the waste bins and general cleanliness would be dealt with through routine maintenance. Regarding issues raised in relation to the impact on wells, privacy, additional parking and waste bins, the planner said that he considers they were adequately addressed and that the implementation of the response would mitigate potential impacts on the adjacent properties. The plans were also referred to the area engineer, the roads design officer, the environment section and the HSE. The planner recommended that the development proceed, subject to conditions that the proposed wastewater treatment system be located to the north-east of the site and that a two-metre wall be constructed along the boundary with adjacent residences, as well as conditions regarding landscaping and surface water. The planning report was passed by councillors at the Dunshaughlin area meeting on 19th November and by the full council at its meeting on Monday. Meanwhile, a motion by the Slane area councillors calling on the council to provide a new graveyard for the Stamullen area was also discussed. The motion stated that the existing graveyard is full and that local people are having to seek burials elsewhere. Cllr Wayne Harding said that Stamullen is an area which had seen huge growth and that there is genuine concern among local people that their relatives cannot be buried there. He asked that the council liaise with the community and the local priests to move the provision of a new cemetery forward. Cllr Jimmy Cudden said: "It is not today nor yesterday that people have been looking for a new graveyard in Stamullen. The problem is that the alternative of Moorchurch Cemetery is filling up trying to cater for both Julianstown and Stamullen." He asked whose responsibility it was to provide a graveyard, and whether this was the local authority or the parish. Meath County Council administrative officer Ger Murphy replied that it is the sanitary authority's responsibility under the 1898 act to provide graveyards, in this case, Meath County Council. He said he was aware of the issues in Stamullen and had been in consultation with the local parish priest and would come back to councillors with recommendations.