Local Graveyard sold as amenity ground

[josey]

I am going to wait for responses before I go to press or radio; I want to know as many of the facts as I can first.

[brigidmac]

Radio and press are good at finding out facts and may have fast access to councillors etc if you  pose it as a question.

[Pheno]

"The Lower graveyard was sold as a garden with the church about 20 years ago. The headstones, which I am sure families struggled to pay for 100 years ago, are now walked over as paths, barbeques held in there and [in my opinion] general disrespect."

I have always thought how nice it was that graveyards are actually used for other purposes so that at least the people in there have visitors - funny I know!  I really don't feel that it is disrespectfu.

Pheno

[josey]

I have  had a few responses.

[1] The selling agent says it was advertised in local press, with a board at one entrance. He states the conditions regaarding access by agreement will be incorporated into the Land Title sheet.

[2] Response from Huddersfield Family History Society
I have spoken to our Chairman about this who was involved in planning issues in his working life.  As he understands it whoever owned the graveyard prior to this sale had no obligation to advertise it at all and could sell to who they wished providing there was no existing covenants or conditions restricting sales or imposing conditions, which of course there may well have been.  Any such issues should have been set out in the contract document offered to the purchaser. The National Planning Policy Framework referred to has recently been updated and amended (2018/2019).  He cannot find any online details to enable a search as to graveyard planning reuse within this policy .
I live in Holmfirth, and do know, by the way, that there were for sale signs up on Greenfield Road earlier this year.
Unfortunately, although we do sympathise with all such issues, as we feel it is very important that graveyards are kept in good order and are able to be accessed by anyone with an interest in them, we do not feel this is something our charity could get involved with.  We do, however, wish you luck in any efforts to ensure that the general public still have access to these graves when required.

[3] I have had contact from the owner who states
At present I am in the process of making the site safe for public access
Thirty years of neglect has left trees, headstones etc requiring significant works to enable safe public access which will be reinstated via the tourist office hopefully when they reopen as before,
The TIC moved from its premises in Holmfirth [now empty] about 3 years ago into the library, which closed on Mar 23 for lockdown.
I suppose now there is a private owner, he/she would indeed have a public liability to make access safe.

I will report back when there is any further progress.