A LONG-standing ambition to improve Darlington’s West Cemetery has been pushed forward following moves to appease residents who claimed it would be an eyesore and would leave their homes prone to flooding.

Darlington Borough Council’s planning committee heard its £4.5m plan included new cremators as they urgently needed replacing, a new separate chapel to increase capacity from 65 to 120 mourners, and also a 66-space car park at the Carmel Road North site.

The meeting was told “sensitivities around the two building model” had been recognised by the authority following concerns it could impact on the dignity of the dead, but it was considered the best fit considering the constraints on the site.

But Janet Walke, of West Cemetery Action Group, said the development of the “ugly concrete and metal” chapel, car park and new roads had triggered local concerns over flooding. She said while stringent conditions had been set to avert potential flooding at the site, residents were concerned how it would be monitored to ensure flood risks had been mitigated before building work began.

Mrs Walke said: “Visually the design of the chapel is wholly incompatible with the area.”

Councillor Nigel Boddy called for the plans to be rejected, saying the town had never had a south cemetery.

He said: “This is a proposal that’s dealing with an old cemetery and we’re trying to make it into a new cemetery and we may in the future try to make it into a bigger cemetery. It’s not the right place.”

While many applications considered by the committee are controversial, concerns were raised over some councillors pre-determining the scheme, leading to councillors being asked to confirm that they would not consider the plans “with a closed mind”.

Following councillors Nick Wallis and Charles Johnson proposing changes to the plans to meet some of the residents’ concerns over flooding and screening, the scheme was given the green light. The council had previously revealed any potential closure of services due to failure could cost the authority £100,000 a month in lost revenue. After the meeting Cllr Boddy said as no separate vote had been taken on the scheme it had been unclear whether the scheme had been passed.