Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park: NSW Planning approve bid for 3000 extra burial plots
The NSW Government has decided the fate of controversial plans to expand a massive cemetery in Sydney’s eastern suburbs to the water’s edge after fears the city would run out of burial plots. SEE THE RESULT HERE.
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Massive expansion plans for the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park have been given the green light by NSW Planning — paving the way for an extra 3000 burial plots to creep towards the coast.
A delegate for Planning Minister Rob Stokes issued Gateway approval for the expansion of the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park at Bumborah Point Rd, Port Botany last month, following urgent warnings local government area across Eastern Sydney would run out of burial plots within five years.
“Like many existing cemeteries, Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park (ESMP) is close to reaching capacity,” A planner for Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries said.
“The ESMP had 7,458 unused burial plots at September 2017.
“The total number of unused burial plots in ESMP represents approximate 90 per cent of all unused burial plots across the Eastern City District.”
The planner said more than 24,300 new burial sites would be required to meet demands to 2032 in the applicants proposal to expand the site.
The blueprints for the memorial park earmark the development of 3000 burial plots stretching south from Simblist Rd to just metres from the water’s edge at Yarra Bay.
The NSW Planning delegate issued a series of stringent conditions on the approval of the site, including the improvement of access to Yarra Bay Beach and the surrounding tree canopy.
“All burial plots and columbaria must be located outside the areas subject to coastal hazards,” the delegate ordered.