Sandbach Cemetery campaigners are celebrating, after winning a long-fought battle to extend the burial ground.

But Friends of Sandbach Cemetery say they won't rest until the first spade is turned on the expansion of the cemetery, off The Hill in Sandbach.

(Photo: Sandbach Nub News)

We reported in September 2021 https://sandbach.nub.news/news/local-news/sandbach-cemetery-campaigners-win-a-council-review-over-expansion-strategy how Cheshire East Council was to reconsider its borough-wide cemetery strategy after claims the plans are 'at best thoughtless and at worst inhumane'.

The council reviewed the strategy in 2018 and the long- term proposal was that, as local cemeteries became full, families would be expected to bury their loved ones in Crewe or Macclesfield.

A petition signed by nearly 6,000 Sandbach residents was presented to a meeting of the environment and communities committee back then calling for the council to expand Sandbach Cemetery off The Hill.

(Photo: Sandbach Nub News)

And earlier this week here https://sandbach.nub.news/news/local-news/sandbach-cemetery-to-be-extended-in-the-future-178464 we told how Sandbach Cemetery will be extended after Cheshire East admitted its 2018 review of provision across the borough was 'flawed'.

The council reviewed its strategy in 2018 and the long-term proposal was that, as local cemeteries became full, families would be expected to bury their loved ones in Crewe or Macclesfield.

Following a long, hard-fought campaign by Sandbach residents, which included a petition signed by nearly 6,000 people, the council has now accepted that land currently being used as open space next to the cemetery had officially been designated as cemetery land.

A section of the land will be used in the future to extend the cemetery - although no date has yet been given.

Phil Brooks, secretary of the Friends of Sandbach Cemetery group said he was now waiting for dates and more information.

(Photo: Sandbach Nub News)

"It's great news but we won't rest until the work starts. We will monitor the situation and just wait and see," he told Sandbach Nub News.

"We fall in the middle ground here between Macclesfield and Crewe. Sandbach Cemetery has had many changes.

"We're delighted but it's a case of waiting for the first spade to go into the ground to start the extension.

"We will be carefully monitoring the situation."