A public meeting to discuss plans for a new municipal cemetery for the Monmouth area in Penallt was held on Monday (18th November) in Pelham Hall, Penallt.

About 50 members of the public attended the meeting, which was designed as a public consultation.

"It is really important to hear what residents have to say about sites like this," said Tim Hodges from Mott MacDonald, the principal environmental scientists in charge of testing the site for suitability.

The initial pollution risk assessment ruled out two other nearby sites.

The third site, to the east of Penygarn Road and north of the main road into the village, next door to the Humble by Nature farm, has been given a provisional green light at this stage of the assessment.

"Half the field is suitable. The rest of the area would be laid to wild flower meadow," said Mr Hodges.

A small car park for around six vehicles has been proposed and there is also ongoing discussion about public conveniences on site.

Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) already owns the land so, as long as the testing shows the site to be safe, there is no need for delay on creating the new burial site.

The council is now embarking on the work that is necessary to put together a planning proposal and to establish the cost of providing a public cemetery for north Monmouthshire on the site.

However, there are many worries about the site from residents;

• Despite being on a hill, the water table is particularly high, leading to drain off onto road culverts, for the two mile stretch directly through the village and down Lone Lane into the River Wye.

• There is minimal public access to the site with only two buses running in each direction from Monmouth to Penallt per day.

• There is no mobile phone reception in the area.

• Three houses in the vicinity have bore holes for drinking water.

• There are local ponds and wildlife in the immediate area to be considered.

• The site is inadequate; usable for a maximum of 30 years if serving only the Monmouth area. If serving a wider area then even less.

• The site is isolated and the village has few amenities to offer mourners.

• The proposal of five or six parking spaces is inadequate for funerals, which will mean most people park on the road, making it very dangerous.

Debbie McCarthy, area service officer for MCC and the officer leading the campaign, said: "It is always very difficult to find appropriate sites for cemeteries and there is often much local opposition.

"This meeting has been invaluable in gauging what local residents feel about the proposal."

Ludo Graham, Kate Humble's partner, said: "We very much hope that the field in question will not be used as a cemetery, but will instead remain as part of the farmland."

Another resident farmer pointed out: "These days, dead bodies are usually pumped full of all sorts of chemicals.

"You wouldn't be allowed to bury a sheep in that field, let alone one which had been recently medicated.

"Why is it suddenly okay to bury lots of dead bodies directly above a village?"

The pollution risk assessment will continue, now looking at off-site factors.

Dependent on the findings, the council will then draw up plans to take the proposal to the planning department.