The Derry public is being encouraged to come forward and express their view on the city's proposed new cemetery.
Derry City and Strabane District Council said it was embarking on an "extensive public consultation process" to provide local people with an opportunity to make representations on the draft proposals for a new strategic Municipal Cemetery on the west bank of the city.
Last year, the local council confirmed that it had successfully acquired lands at 64 Mullenan Road with a view to developing a new cemetery.
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This stage of the capital development project has taken the council 10 years to reach, with council officers assessing a number of potential sites.
Following extensive technical assessments, it was agreed that the Mullenan Road site is the most suitable for a development of this nature and scale.
The public information event is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 4 between 3pm and 9pm at Ballougry Primary School, 30 Mullenan Road, Derry, BT48 9XN, where members of the public are encouraged to attend.
Details of the project will be available for the public to view and officers from Council will be available to provide information and answer questions.
Encouraging people to attend and get involved in the consultation process, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Cllr Sandra Duffy said: “The public information session is an excellent way for the public to find out more about the project and I would encourage all interested parties to come along and be part of this important engagement process.”
“The proposed development will see the establishment of a Cemetery that includes provision of approximately 4000 burial plots with associated parking/landscaping.
"It will also include a memorial service building and garden, repositories for ashes, conversion of existing dwelling to admin building, removal of existing outbuildings and construction of operations buildings/yard.
"A new footway link will be made to Ballougry Road to facilitate pedestrian and cycle connection to the ‘Line’ greenway."
The public meeting is part of a three-month pre-application community consultation period that is required prior to the council submitting a major planning application under the Planning Act (NI) 2011.
A council spokesperson said that those unable to attend in person would be able to make their view known on a online portal.
They said: "There will also be the facility to view the proposals and give feedback via Council’s online consultation facility, which will be available from October 4 at https://www.derrystrabane.com/consultations.
"Hard copies of the proposals will also be available to view at the reception of Council's offices at 98 Strand Road Derry and 47 Derry Road Strabane.
"A written submission can also be forwarded to Council directly and should be marked – New Municipal Cemetery, Mullenan Road, Mullenan, Derry, and addressed to Derry City and Strabane District Council, 98 Strand Road, Derry~Londonderry, BT48 7NN.
The deadline for submissions is 4.00pm on Friday, November 18 2022. The public are asked to note that representations in relation to this proposal must not be made to the Planning Service at this stage and advised that when a planning application is formally submitted there will be an opportunity to do so."
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