PLANS for a new cemetery in Gillingham have taken a significant step forward.

The land purchase was completed last month, councillors confirmed at a meeting of the general purposes committee yesterday evening.

The town council decided to make an application to Dorset Council under Section 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act to divert a public right of way running through a field, at a cost of £5,500.

In addition, it was agreed that the new cemetery should be named Duncliffe View Cemetery Gillingham.

A public consultation event will be held at Gillingham Town Hall on Thursday, March 5, between 4pm and 6.30pm.

Members of the public, funeral directors and the press will be invited to attend, when the location of the new cemetery site will be announced.

Following the consultation, a closed meeting for councillors will take place at 7pm to discuss detailed aspects of the design and the next steps.

Once the design has been finalised, the appointed ecologist will complete the reports required to support the planning application.

It is anticipated that a full planning application will be ready for submission in April.

At a full council meeting held toward the end of last year, CDS was appointed to design the cemetery, including the development of a land drainage strategy.

CDS has more than 20 years’ experience and has designed and constructed over 50 cemeteries in the UK and internationally.

Since its appointment, the company has completed a topographical survey and a ground penetrating radar survey of the site.

Soakage testing was scheduled to take place at the end of January, and work is continuing on the overall cemetery design.

The tender process for ground works, landscaping and hardstanding will be advertised after the planning application has been submitted, with a closing date set for June.