Council leaders resurect plans to sell off green space to pay for crematorium expansion

Council leaders have resurrected controversial plans to sell off greenspace for housing to pay for a crematorium expansion.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is proposing to include the 16.6 acre Arnold Grove site next to Bradwell Crematorium in its updated asset management strategy.

It is proposed to use some of the land to extend the crematorium, with another portion being sold off for development to fund the scheme, which could cost up to £1.4 million.

This was first considered by the council's previous Conservative administration, but the idea later scrapped following public opposition.

The land was then earmarked for a Fields in Trust application, which would have seen it protected from future development.

But the council's current Reform UK leaders have now revived the land sale proposal as a way of funding the crematorium scheme.

They say selling off the land will mean the council will not have to borrow the funds, which will save taxpayers money.