Bicester: No burial sites leaves bereaved residents 'gutted'

Michelle and Andy said their family friend, Neil, who was 46 years old and had lived in Bicester his entire life, can only be buried in Tackley due to there being no burial sites left in the town.

Tackley is approximately 11 miles away from Bicester and Neil's two children do not drive. 

His family and friends are fighting to get him buried in Bicester, but because there are no spaces, he has not been buried yet.

Burial spaces in Bicester only remain for families who have previously purchased plots and due to the high water table, further expansion of the town's cemetery is "impossible", says Liberal Democrat district and town councillor John Willet.

READ MORE: Volunteers at Bicester parkrun praised by man from Warwick

Michelle and her husband Andy told the Oxford Mail they are "gutted" about the situation.

Michelle said: “We just assumed when he passed away, there was no question, he would be buried in Bicester.

"The infrastructure around Bicester growing at a rapid rate but people have got no where to go."

Stock file of graves (Picture: Oxford Mail)

She added: "It is sad, losing somebody is so hard to deal with, but not having somewhere where people can go and sit and chat to him - we would love to be able to do that.

"It’s a hard pill to swallow - we feel in limbo."

In 2019 Bicester Cemetery had approximately two years of grave space remaining before alternative measures needed to be considered.

Bicester Town Council, who run and maintain the Bicester Cemetery site between St. Edburg’s Church and Pingle Field, admitted in May 2022 that burial space was running out.

Conservative district and town councillor Nick Mawer said: "The search for solutions to the cemetery filling up has been going on since well before I became a Councillor in 2007.

Councillor Nick Mawer (Image: Cherwell District Council.)

"The Town Council under the Conservatives were committed to buying land and constructing and managing a new cemetery through the mechanism of the local plan that has found suitable land at an affordable price."

However, Mr Willett said: "This sorry state of affairs reflects on the historic failures of the Conservative administration at Cherwell to plan and deliver the growth of Bicester.  

"I am very concerned for those families who have found it impossible to bury their loved ones in Bicester.

READ MORE: Pictures show shocking aftermath of combine harvester fire

"The Town Council has worked with cemetery experts to consider what options are available, but due to the high water table, further expansion of the current site is impossible.

"A a newly elected councillor, I am committed to working with fellow councillors and with officers at Cherwell District Council, to try to find a solution."

A spokesperson for Cherwell District Council said: “We offer our condolences to the resident for the sad loss of their family friend.

"The lack of burial space in Bicester needs to be resolved as soon as possible.

"We have policies in our existing local plan to provide burial space at Bicester and also to secure financial contributions from developers to help fund provision.

"These funds can be made available to town or parish councils to support the provision of space but land still needs to be acquired from landowner to provide the facilities.

“A development promoter has made a planning application for housing to the north-west of Biceste, known as ‘Hawkwell Village’, which includes proposals for new burial space in Bucknell parish and this application will be determined in due course.

“A separate planning application could be brought forward for additional space by Bicester Town Council, a neighbouring parish council, or a developer and we could determine such an application separately.

"It would need to be accompanied by the requisite technical information.

“However, access to the land and implementation of any approved scheme is dependent on the landowner’s agreement which the town or parish council or developer would need to secure.”

Bicester Town Council has been contacted for comment.