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A field historically used for football and dog walking has been earmarked for a 178-plot expansion to the village cemetery. The patch of unclaimed land in Overton, Wrexham between the existing cemetery which sits on Church Road and St Mary's Avenue and the Overton and District Bowling Club is now subject to a planning application from Overton Community Council. It wants to extend the existing cemetery, which has been in operation since 1901, to create 178 more burial plots and a new Garden of Remembrance. The grass field identified for the extension is currently used as a community play area. It has a small set of football goals and is also used for dog-walking. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here "The current land is basically a small field with no official use at present," states the application from Overton Community Council. "It is noted that the pre-planning application lists the proposed cemetery as 'recreational use'. This is informal use by local children who have placed small plastic goalposts there and occasional dog walkers in the vicinity. "The area has always been designated for a cemetery. The health and well‐being of the community will be improved by ensuring they have access to a reserved area where they can seek solace visiting the resting places of relatives and friends." According to the application the community council cannot identify an owner of the land. It also claims that the land has always been ringfenced for a cemetery extension. "The land is not registered with the Land Registry Office," it said in its submission to Wrexham County Borough Council's planning department. "A local historian has no records to show ownership of the land. The owner of the Bryn-y-Pys Estate – which owns much of the land surrounding the village and many properties within the village – has no records for land ownership. "All attempts to confirm the ownership of this piece of land have been unsuccessful thus far. "The current cemetery and cemetery extension land has been maintained and supervised by the community council as far as records go back. There is no current documentation that states that that this piece of land has ever been allocated as anything but a cemetery extension." The application will be decided under delegated powers by Wrexham planning officers before December 22.
