Spennymoor mortuary plans near primary school scrapped following community backlash
Dozens of objections were submitted to Durham County Council just days after the plans were revealed in July
by Bill Edgar · ChronicleLivePlans to open a mortuary next to a primary school have been withdrawn. Hardy’s Funeral Services had intended to transform a house in Spennymoor into the facility, but faced significant backlash from local residents.
A wave of objections were submitted to Durham County Council shortly after the plans for High Grange Road were unveiled in July. King Street Primary School also expressed concerns about its future if the mortuary was given the green light.
Joanne Bromley, the head teacher at King Street, stated: "We firmly believe that parents would not feel that this is an appropriate proposal and, if it went ahead, would consider a move of schools and any new parents would not choose our school in the future and thus it would have a detrimental impact upon the school’s future."
She added: "The application states that the property would be used as a place where bereaved families can visit their deceased relatives discreetly away from the general public- the school has over 220 children and, added to this, the additional number of adults who collect each day, there is no way this can be offered as a discreet service."
Local resident Peter Bright voiced his concern, saying: "It would be very inappropriate for young children to see deceased bodies being taken in and out of the property."
In response to these concerns, Hardy’s issued an update in August, assuring that the mortuary would operate discreetly and not disrupt nearby residents or the school. They clarified that no funeral services were planned to take place at the site.
A statement from Hardy’s Funeral Service read: "The reason for choosing this site above others, which would not have required a change of use, is that clients can arrive, park their car in a designated parking bay to the rear of the premises, enter and leave the premises in relative privacy.
"I would envisage the deceased would arrive in a closed vehicle, reversed into the garage, and the deceased taken from there into the main building on a covered stretcher.
"The reverse of this procedure is to be carried out when leaving, the deceased would be removed from the main building in a coffin to the garage and placed in a hearse."
However, parents expressed concerns that the mortuary could cause disruption to school pupils and visitors. .
Deborah Collinson stated: "I have two children attending this school and a business of this nature is likely to cause anxiety for them walking past it every day and subsequently cause anxiety about going to school. "It is not going to be a peaceful location for a business of this nature which will have people visiting deceased relatives. ".
It remains unclear why the application was withdrawn. Hardy’s Funeral Services was contacted for comment.
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