Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the Environment Agency have criteria for new cemetery developments that must be met?

This can vary depending on location, but the Environment Agency will typically require the following: No burials into standing water. At least 1 metre of soil below the base of the grave. At least 250 metres away from the nearest potable groundwater supply source. At least 30 metres away from any spring or watercourse. At least 10 metres away from any existing field drains.

Q: What do I need to do if the results of a Tier 1 hydrological risk assessment determine my site to be low, moderate or high risk?

For sites classified as ‘low risk’, no further site investigative work is required. For sites classified as ‘moderate’ or ‘high’ risk, the Environment Agency will require Tier 2 or 3 risk assessment respectively: Tier 2: Preliminary quantitative risk assessment with detailed desk study and preliminary site investigation. Tier 3: Detailed quantitative risk assessment.

Q: We are considering purchasing some land in order to construct a new cemetery. How can we reduce the risk of purchasing land that may not be suitable for a cemetery development?

The most cost-effective way to assess the suitability of the land is to commission a Tier 1 risk assessment and liaise with the Environment Agency over the findings to gauge the likelihood of receiving EA approval.

What does a Tier 1 hydrogeological risk assessment involve?Lisa Marie Bruce2016-11-04T08:44:42+00:00

What does a Tier 1 hydrogeological risk assessment involve?

The assessment combines information such as soil type, geology, hydrogeology with predictions of burial rates to derive the level of risk to the environment from the proposed cemetery development. The assessment is presented in the form of a detailed report which covers:

Geomorphology
Geology
Hydrogeology
Soil series/association
Climate
Proximity to groundwater source protection zones
Proximity to indicative flood plains
Design rainfall events – should a drainage scheme be required
Determination of vulnerability class
Determination of level of risk

What factors affect the degree of risk to the environment associated with my proposed cemetery development, and how does the Environment Agency arrive at a risk rating?Lisa Marie Bruce2016-11-04T08:44:10+00:00

What factors affect the degree of risk to the environment associated with my proposed cemetery development, and how does the Environment Agency arrive at a risk rating?

1The Environment Agency has produced a table that summarises the pertinent site factors associated with a cemetery development. Scores are assigned to the various factors and combined to derive a Vulnerability Rating. A graph is used to combine the Vulnerability Rating with the total number of burials anticipated in order to derive the degree of risk.

Groundwater Vulnerability Ranking Chart (Table 5.1 in P223)
Ranking	Very Low	Low	Moderate	High	Very High
Drift Type	Clay	Silt	Silty Sand	Sand / Gravel	Absent
Drift Thickness	>5m	>3 – 5m	3m	0 – 3m	Absent
Flow Mechanism	Intergranular				Fissured
Aquifer	Non-aquifer		Minor aquifer		Major aquifer
Abstraction and Source Protection Zone	Outside Zone lll	Within Zone lll	Close to boundary of Zones ll and lll	Within Zone ll	Within Zone l or >250m from private source
Watercources and springs	>100m	>70m <100m	>50m <70m	>30m <50m	<30m
Drains	>100m	>40m <100m	30m – 40m	>10m <30m	<10m

Does the Environment Agency have criteria for new cemetery developments that must be met?Lisa Marie Bruce2016-11-04T08:43:19+00:00

Does the Environment Agency have criteria for new cemetery developments that must be met?

This can vary depending on location, but the Environment Agency will typically require the following:

No burials into standing water.
At least 1 metre of soil below the base of the grave.
At least 250 metres away from the nearest potable groundwater supply source.
At least 30 metres away from any spring or watercourse.
At least 10 metres away from any existing field drains.

What do I need to do if the results of a Tier 1 hydrological risk assessment determine my site to be low, moderate or high risk?Lisa Marie Bruce2016-11-04T08:42:33+00:00

What do I need to do if the results of a Tier 1 hydrological risk assessment determine my site to be low, moderate or high risk?

For sites classified as ‘low risk’, no further site investigative work is required. For sites classified as ‘moderate’ or ‘high’ risk, the Environment Agency will require Tier 2 or 3 risk assessment respectively:

Tier 2: Preliminary quantitative risk assessment with detailed desk study and preliminary site investigation.

Tier 3: Detailed quantitative risk assessment.

We are considering purchasing some land in order to construct a new cemetery. How can we reduce the risk of purchasing land that may not be suitable for a cemetery development?Lisa Marie Bruce2016-11-04T08:41:51+00:00

We are considering purchasing some land in order to construct a new cemetery. How can we reduce the risk of purchasing land that may not be suitable for a cemetery development?

The most cost-effective way to assess the suitability of the land is to commission a Tier 1 risk assessment and liaise with the Environment Agency over the findings to gauge the likelihood of receiving EA approval.

Consultancy, Survey & Design Services for Cemetery Developments