Chapter 11 - Cemeteries, Churchyards and Green Corridors Introduction and definition 11.1 Churchyards are normally confined within an existing church boundary and

cemeteries are found outside the confines of a church. This study includes both local authority owned, and privately owned burial land as well as any disused churchyards. Although the primary purpose of this type of open space is for the burial of the dead and quiet contemplation, these sites can also have considerable value for the promotion of wildlife conservation and biodiversity. Some cemeteries, for example, St Mark’s Churchyard and Harehills Cemetery, are designated as Leeds Nature Areas.

11.2 Green corridors link urban areas with the surrounding countryside and often

follow roads, waterways or disused railway lines. By linking areas with the countryside and the public right of way network they promote environmental sustainable modes of transport, such as walking, cycling and house riding, and support healthy living.

Strategic Context 11.3 Parks and Green Space Strategy (2009)

The Parks and Green Space Strategy identifies that Leeds City Council manages 75 cemeteries and churchyards within the Leeds district including:

• 21 Cemeteries, covering 82 hectares • 3 Crematoria, covering 15 hectares • 51 Disused churchyards covering 18 hectares

11.4 The strategy also suggests that disused churchyards, depending on the level

of maintenance, can also function as natural green space promoting wildlife conservation and enhancement.

11.5 Consultation – Assessing Local Need

Consultation undertaken as part of the study suggests that there is a perception amongst residents that the quality of cemeteries and churchyards within the Leeds district is adequate. Points made as part of the needs assessment are as follows:

• Almost 20% of respondents from the household and on street surveys used churchyards and cemeteries at least once a month.

• Over 50% of those surveyed do not use churchyards or cemeteries.

• The survey identified issues such as littering and poor maintenance as a concern to some respondents.

• While the survey results were mainly consistent across all the areas, the East Inner and East Outer areas were highlighted as areas that did not have enough churchyards.

• The following features were deemed the most important in providing good quality cemeteries and churchyards:

Well kept grass Clean and litter free

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Flowers and trees Parking provision Clear footpaths

• The majority of people would expect to travel to a cemetery or churchyard by car or on foot.

• Stakeholders identified quantity as a key issue and considered there is a need to increase the amount of burial land and ensure existing sites are well maintained.

• The majority of council workers felt that the quality of provision is ‘average’ and the amount to be ‘more than enough/about right’.

11.6 Consultation undertaken as part of the study regarding green corridors

identified that provision within the district was considered adequate and the quality was very good/good or average. The needs assessment highlights the following issues:

Almost 80% of the respondents consider green corridors to be ‘good/very good’ or ‘average’.

It was felt that the provision of green corridors was good and that in particular towpaths have improved in the last decade.

The provision of green corridors in the South Outer and North East Inner areas was considered to be low and in need an increase in provision.

23% of the residents from the East Inner area considered the quality of green corridors to be poor or very poor.

The survey identified the following features as being the most important in providing good quality green corridors.

Clean and litter free Clear footpaths Well kept grass Flowers and trees

The majority of survey respondents would expect a 10 minute walk to green corridors.

Stakeholders identified the need to increase awareness of the existence and value of green corridors to local residents.

39% of council workers thought that the provision of green corridors was not enough but the majority felt that the quality was average or better.

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Current Provision Quantity Table 11.1 Cemeteries and Green Corridor Provision in Leeds by Analysis Area

Cemeteries and Churchyards Green Corridors

Analysis Area

Current provision ha

Number of sites

Smallest site

Largest site

Current Provision ha

Number of sites

Smallest Site

Largest Site

East Inner 29.86 3 5.17 18.03 16.26 11 0.29 4.65 East Outer 9.81 9 0.39 2.79 50.15 26 0.23 8.15 North East Inner 2.93 3 0.79 1.28 4.86 4 0.45 1.95 North East Outer 11.52 16 0.26 2.54 51.36 22 0.2 14.68 North West Inner 7.87 6 0.32 3.66 14.51 15 0.2 4.47 North West Outer 43.76 12 0.37 21.59 21.8 15 0.21 5.98 South Inner 21.43 6 0.44 9.66 32.35 25 0.2 11.52 South Outer 11.63 7 0.27 4.22 95.1 24 0.2 48.23 West Inner 14.34 6 0.81 4.55 27.38 16 0.25 11.69 West Outer 14.06 6 0.89 4.97 25.61 10 0.5 10.3 Leeds 167.21 74 0.26 21.59 339.38 168 0.2 48.23

11.7 Over a quarter of all cemeteries and churchyards are located in the North

West Outer area, which has 43.76 hectares, the highest amount in any area for burial land. However, approximately half of this area total is from one site; Lawnswood Cemetery/Crematorium which measures 31.59 hectares. The East Inner area also has a similar uneven split, with one site, Harehills Cemetery, out of the three, covering 61% of the area of burial land within the area. Despite this, the East Inner and the North East Inner areas have the lowest number of sites (3). The North East Inner area has the smallest area of churchyards within the district. While the average size of a cemetery or churchyard is 5.92 hectares, over 90% of sites are less than 5 hectares.

11.8 The largest amount of green corridor green space is in the South Outer area,

with 24 sites covering 95.1 hectares, over 25% of the current provision. The outer areas provide 97 sites and 72% of the area of green corridors.

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11.9 The provision of cemeteries and churchyards is relatively evenly distributed across the rural part of the district, however, within the urban area, the West of Leeds has a higher concentration of cemeteries and churchyards. The larger green corridors which can be identified on the map follow roads, railways and rivers, providing green routes out of the urban area.

Quality 11.10 The award is assessed in two key ways, firstly by reviewing a site

management plan, and secondly a field assessment based primarily on observation during a site visit. Each category is given a score out of 10, with a maximum of 30 points for the desk assessment and 70 points for the field assessment. To achieve the standard a minimum of 15 on the desk assessment and 42 on the field assessment is needed, however, an award can only be given if the overall score is greater than 65. The desk assessment is not carried out as most sites do not have a management plan. Thus, only the field based assessment is conducted, and as alluded to above, the score required to reach the standard is in effect 48. On average, each category must therefore achieve 7 out of 10 to reach the standard, although there is no minimum score for each category.

11.11 The results revealed an average score of 5.92 out of 10 for all cemetery and

churchyard sites and 5.37 out of 10 for green corridors.

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Table 11.2 Quality of Cemeteries and Churchyards in Leeds by Analysis Area

Analysis Area Average Score

Range of Scores

Lowest Quality Site

Highest Quality Site

East Inner 4.35 3.2 - 6.58

Beckett Street Cemetery

Killingbeck Cemetery

East Outer 5.78 3.86 - 7.41

St Mary's Cemetery Park, Kippax

St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

North East Inner 5.85 3.57 - 7.23

St Matthew's Churchyard

Holy Trinity Church, Meanwood

North East Outer 6.16 3.16 – 8

Bardsey Catholic Church of the Blessed Sacred

St Peter's Churchyard

North West Inner 5.87 4.3 - 7.46

St Mark's Churchyard

St Chad's Graveyard

North West Outer 6.22 4.38 - 8.08

St Peters Arthington Churchyard St Peter's Church,

South Inner 4.86 1.92 - 6.06

St John's Churchyard

Beeston Cemetery

South Outer 5.67 3.66 - 7.15 Morely Cemetery Church of St Mary

West Inner 5.97 4.33 - 6.84

Farsley Baptist Burial Land St Peter's Church,

West Outer 7.02 5.64 - 8.15 Pudsey Cemetery Farnley Cemetery

Leeds 5.92 1.92 - 8.15

St John's Churchyard

Farnley Cemetery

11.12 Cemeteries and churchyard sites were deemed to be good overall, Outer

West area had the widest range of scores. The lowest quality score was 1.92 at St John’s Churchyard in the South Inner area and the highest was Farnley Cemetery with 8.15 in the West Outer area. St John’s Churchyard is programmed for improvement works which will complete in 2011. The West Outer area attained the highest average score of 7.02.

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Table 11.3 Quality of Green Corridors in Leeds by Analysis Area

Area Committee Average Score

Range of Scores

Lowest Quality Site

Highest Quality Site

East Inner 6.16 4.5-7.7 Burmantofts Street

Cross Gates Road Green Corridor

East Outer 5.22 2.69-7.16

Cockbeck/Penda's Field Disused Railway

Methley Disused Railway

North East Inner 4.58 3.44-6.27

Roman Avenue Greenspace

Mexborough Street Public Open Space

North East Outer 5.4 2.5-7.69

Ring Road moortown Green Corridor

Wetherby Wilderness

North West Inner 5.57 3.53-6.84

Low Wood, Foxcroft Road

Leeds Liverpool Canal

North West Outer 5.28 3.5-7.41

Otley Bypass/Old Railway Line off Bradford Road Engine Fields

South Inner 5.25 2.62-6.07

Westbury Grove Public Open Space

Middleton Park Circus (1)

South Outer 5.5 2.84-7.69

Gelderd Road - dismantled railway

Canal Side ponds - Woodlesford Lock

West Inner 5.39 1.3-7.76 Amberly Road and Oldfield

Pog Farm Public Open Space

West Outer 4.94 2.66-6.3 Farnley Beck New Pudsey Railway

Leeds 5.37 1.3-7.76 Amberly Road and Oldfield

Pog Farm Public Open Space

11.13 As shown in the table above, the quality for the district was found to be

average to good, with an average score of 5.37. The lowest quality score was 1.3 at the green corridor between Amberly Road and Oldfield and the highest average was Pog Farm with 7.76.

Accessibility 11.14 Over half of the on-street respondents to the survey would expect to drive to a

cemetery or churchyard by car, however, 60% of household survey respondents would expect to walk. Most people expect to travel 10 minutes by car or 15 minutes on foot.

11.15 The majority of people surveyed would expect to walk 10 minutes to a green

corridor.

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Proposed Cemetery, Churchyard and Green Corridor Standards

11.16 No standard has been set regarding the quantity, quality or accessibility for churchyards, cemeteries and green corridors as Planning Policy Guidance 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation does not require one. However, the results from the needs assessment suggest a general satisfaction in the current provision, quality and accessibility.

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