While many of the world's cities - including Auckland - are considering vertical grave plots, it seems Dunedin has plenty of room for its dead.
The 13.6ha Dunedin Cemetery in Concord, which opened in 2011, could cater for 9000 burials over the next 60 years, Hope and Sons managing funeral director Michael Hope said.
''That would be 150 burials per year.''
Dunedin had 19 cemeteries, of which 13 were still used for burials, Mr Hope said.
He said he did not see Dunedin running out of burial space soon, as 80% of people chose to be cremated.
Although he had not heard ''serious'' discussion of vertical burials in Dunedin, burial practices were constantly evolving, so ''it is always an option''.
''I cannot think of any particular barriers that would stop an upright burial. We humans have a good habit of being able to overcome challenges and find new solutions.
''It is amazing what a digger ... can quickly do nowadays.''
Dunedin City Council parks and recreation planning manager Jendi Paterson said there had been no vertical burials in the city. The issue had not been discussed with the Funeral Directors Advisory Group.
''If in the future there is community interest in the concept of vertical burials, the DCC would look into it,'' Ms Paterson said.
Gillions Funeral Home managing director Keith Gillions said Dunedin did not suffer from the space and population pressures that big cities such as Auckland did.
The new plots at Dunedin Cemetery also had space for two interments for each plot - meaning one body buried on top of another coffin.
Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand chief operating officer Kirsten Patterson said all parts of New Zealand needed to consider every burial option, to cater for the varying requests of an ageing population.
''We have to be open to vertical burials. We have to be open to everything.''
- Eleanor Ainge Roy
