The Dunedin City Council has $2.8m set aside for new cemetery plots in the Mosgiel area but there are questions over whether more are needed.
Dunedin City council parks and recreation acting group manager Robert West noted at a recent Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board meeting the council had allocated $2.8 million in the 2022-23 financial year to extend cemetery space.
That followed the inclusion of the funding late last year in the draft long-term plan.
A report in the plan said the project would ‘‘provide further burial space to accommodate future demand in existing cemeteries through the development of a new cemetery in the Mosgiel area’’.
‘‘This project will work through the initial feasibility study to assess the needs and possible options to provide further burial space in close proximity to Mosgiel.’’
Community board chairwoman Sarah Nitis described the project in December as one of the town’s ‘‘essential projects’’.
However, Hope and Sons managing funeral director Michael Hope said he was surprised the council had earmarked the money. He said in the 12 months to November last year there were 66 new plots used in eight cemeteries in Dunedin.
Just four of those plots were at Allanton, the cemetery that services the Taieri.
He said for years the council had sold 80 to 100 new plots a year.
‘‘You’ve got to remember nearly 80% of people are cremated in Dunedin.’’
Some burials took place in plots already used by a family.
He said the question was whether Mosgiel people wanted to be buried near the town.
A ‘‘parochial’’ Mosgiel person may say there was no cemetery in Mosgiel, as Allanton was a few kilometres away.
But Allanton had plenty of room, safe land above flood level and there were 46 new plots available.
Mr Hope said the issue of where people were buried could become ‘‘emotive’’ when someone died, but he wondered where the land for a Mosgiel cemetery might be found.
Land in areas like the East Taieri were not suitable as they were inclined to flood.
There were 86 new plots available at the Dunedin cemetery off Blackhead Rd, 54 at Green Park near Waldronville, and 47 at Middlemarch.
The Dunedin cemetery was designed to last between 60 and 100 years.
Mrs Nitis said her understanding was the need was not necessarily for a new Mosgiel cemetery, but additional plots would be required in future.
Council staff had looked at the projected need and were reviewing the capacity of cemeteries.
The community board had asked the council to assess the situation.
Council parks and recreation staff did not respond to requests for comment last week.
