Burial ground in Oxford will run out within 10 years - but city officials remain undecided how to tackle the problem, the Oxford Mail can reveal.

Half the city's cemeteries are already full and within five years only one will have space left.

As yet, however, no replacement land has been set aside and Oxford City Council is not ruling out the possibility of reusing plots more than 100 years old.

The council runs cemeteries at Rose Hill, Headington, Wolvercote and Botley.

No new plots are available at Rose Hill and Headington, while Wolvercote will be full by 2013 and Botley by 2018.

But neither cemetery allows people to pre-book plots and both could close sooner if forecasted burial rates are inaccurate.

About 400 people are buried annually at either Wolvercote and Botley.

The number of people buried in each of the four cemeteries is:

  • Botley 8,290
  • Headington 9,040
  • Rose Hill 20,488
  • Wolvercote 15,776.

About 2,400 people are cremated at Oxford Crematorium each year.

Hugh Jaeger, a churchwarden at St Margaret's Church in Oxford, became aware of the growing problem after attempting to book himself a plot.

He told the Oxford Mail the council was taking too long to earmark new land and that poor planning could force people to be cremated, something many religious faiths would find objectionable.

The 44-year-old said: "I approached Wolvercote because I feel very much part of this end of Oxford.

"They said they couldn't do reservations anymore.

"The council hasn't done anything. There has been no planning."

Mr Jaeger said people in East Oxford were getting a raw deal because they already had to travel to Wolvercote and Botley to visit the graves of their loved ones.

He said: "The council should provide new cemeteries in East Oxford.

"That would also relieve the pressure on Wolvercote and Botley."

City council spokesman Chris Lee confirmed no land had been set aside in the Local Plan, which pinpoints where the council intends to develop up until 2016.

He said: "We are currently exploring the options regarding additional burial space in Oxford.

"No firm decisions have yet been made but officers have been instructed to look at options as we realise there will be a need for extra space in the future."

Council leader John Goddard said: "My own view is the additional space will be found outside the city."