A new long-awaited cemetery for Canvey should be up and running by the autumn, it emerged today.

Plans for the cemetery off Northwick Road are now near to completion, following months of negotiations between Castle Point Council and Benfleet funeral directors Willow.

The company in High Road, owned by Runwood Homes, has agreed to finance the scheme, which is costing about £148,000.

Canvey businessman Terry Holding, who stood as a Tory candidate in the local elections last May, donated £20,000 to the council to buy the land for the site, owned by Safeway.

Leader of the council, Dave Wells, said: "As far as the council is concerned, we have now got a partnership agreement.

"There will be no public money spent on this scheme whatsoever. It is not going to cost them a penny to run the place and we have not got to maintain it. It is 100 per cent private money being put into a community partnership."

The council was prepared to pay for the cemetery before talks got under way with Willow and agreed to set aside cash for the scheme just over a year ago.

Plans for a chapel, accommodation for groundsmen, entrance gates, walls and car park on the land have been submitted to Castle Point's planning department.

The ten-acre site includes a lake which will be made into a rest area for visitors.

Mr Wells added: "We have been negotiating for quite a long time but I think it has all been worthwhile.

"Everything should be settled within the next month or so and we will be able to start work. Then possibly by autumn it will be ready."

Vice-chairman of the planning committee, Jenifer Howlett, welcomed the scheme.

She said: "Although it has taken a little longer than we would have hoped, we've been absolutely delighted with the proposals we've seen. It is a great facility without any cost whatsoever to the ratepayers."

A spokesman for Willow declined to comment.

The battle for a new cemetery on Canvey has been raging for more than five years.

Campaigners spearheaded their fight for a new burial ground after it became clear spaces at St Katherine's Church in Long Road were running out. The last space was taken at St Katherine's in October 1998.

Islanders are currently being buried off Canvey at Woodside in Benfleet - the nearest cemetery to the island.

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