Green burials plan for Shropshire's Clive Barracks

Eric Davis, secretary of the Market Drayton Seniors’ Enterprise group, said green burials are to become even more popular in the future, and Clive Barracks in Tern Hill would be an ideal location.

Mr Davis has written to North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson about his suggestion. The MP has been keen to hear people’s views on what should happen to the site.

In his letter, Mr Davis said: “Given the finite resource of land for conflicting demands, for more than 10 years I have been interested in the concept of biodegradable burials as a means of recycling human remains and substituting short and long-living trees for non-biodegradable headstones.

“There are sites at Whixall and Newport which essentially cater for local needs and, being some 15 miles away from Market Drayton, are not readily accessible to family and friends.

“Also, Newport’s site is a part of the traditional town cemetery with additional charges for non-residents and is not particularly conducive to reflection in an attractive natural setting.

“Following the trend of the past 25 years – when the first natural burial ground was created – green burials are set to become the most popular form of burial by mid-century.

“It follows that every locality must eventually have its own site and, in the case of Market Drayton with its ageing residents and future potential population growth, I suggest now is the time that a search for a suitable location be revisited.

“It is my belief that the forthcoming closure and disposal by the MoD of Tern Hill army barracks will provide a golden opportunity for a suitable natural burial site to be identified within the existing confines. While I have no knowledge of the possibilities elsewhere, walking round the Buntingsdale estate last week, the non-residential unused land in the south-eastern corner would appear to be a site for consideration.”

Mr Davis now plans to meet with Mr Paterson at his next constituency surgery in Whitchurch on April 28.

In his reply to the letter, Mr Paterson said Mr Davis raises some “very interesting” suggestions and he is looking forward to talking to him about them at the surgery.

The MoD plans to close the site by 2022 and says it could provide up to 600 houses.