$1m cemetery plan

The Wanganui District Council has placed a price tag of close to $1million on extending Aramoho Cemetery.

Council senior parks officer Wendy McGhie said the land had already been bought for the extension.

Ms McGhie said some of the costs involved would cover roading as well as the work needed to set up the land, kerbing, landscaping and installing a water supply.

She said the project, which would take place over the next few years, would provide the basis for how the cemetery would expand over the next century.

"The development is staged but a large area has to be developed at one time to accommodate the various requirements for a cemetery," she said. Ms McGhie said the present space at Aramoho was expected to reach its maximum capacity in the next few years.

According to the council's 2012-22 Long Term Plan, the cost of the initial development is $400,000 and another $439,000 will go toward developments planned for 2015-16.

The land is next to the cemetery on the city side and work is to begin later this year.

"The expansion will initially begin at the northeast end of the cemetery and eventually develop out to Somme Parade over the next 100 years, so it's a very long-term project," Ms McGhie said.

"Detailed plans for the initial expansion will be presented to council later this year."