New £1.2m Kernan graveyard opened

Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council has extended the graveyard and believes this will secure burial space in the town for up to 30 years.

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Councillor Julie Flaherty officially unveiled the extension this week.

The design includes areas for 256 infant burial plots and 128 ashes burial chambers, which are already open for public use.

Mrs Flaherty said: “I am pleased that our Council has been able to extend Kernan Cemetery for use into the future.

“It is a peaceful and tranquil setting which I hope will be appreciated by bereaved families and friends when they visit.”

The lawn section contains 1,764 grave plots and the surround section contains 462 grave plots, both of which will be ready to use in late 2019.

Work on the £1.2m extension began in March 2017 as part of the first phase of plans for Kernan Cemetery, and there is space available for another two phases of future extensions.

It is part of the council’s five year corporate plan which will see a record breaking £110m spent on new facilities.

Work is well advanced on the new £35m South Lakes Leisure Centre at Craigavon Lakes which will eventually replace the current leisure centres in Portadown, Brownlow and Lurgan. A massive steel structure is visible from Lake Road and it is expected to be finished in Spring 2020.

However, there is concern about rate hikes due to a judicial review on rate allocation from central government.