County Tyrone-based E Quinn Civils Ltd will begin ground work this week on a new £3.73m municipal cemetery project in County L'Derry.

The work will take place at the site secured for the development, located on the outskirts of Derry City on the Mullenan Road, which will provide 3,500 new burial plots as well as a memorial garden, administration building, public toilets, storage buildings and parking.

As well as main access to the site from Mullenan Road, the cemetery will be linked to the city via a new footway to Ballougry Road, which will facilitate a pedestrian and cycling connection to the greenway stretch know as 'The Line', subject to land acquisition.

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Much work has gone into selecting and assessing a suitable location for the new cemetery as space at the City Cemetery nears full capacity.

It is envisaged that the new cemetery will facilitate up to 20 years burial capacity with the potential for further expansion on to adjoining lands

Full planning permission was granted for the development of the site in September 2024, and it's anticipated that the first phase of the development of the overall site will take approximately a year to complete.

The overall cemetery facility will be developed on a phased basis with a view to the first interments taking place at the conclusion of the first phase of development, but the plans can accommodate burials sooner than this if required.

Discussing the project, Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, said: "I want to acknowledge the extensive work that has gone into this key strategic project to date. This marks a significant milestone and I am delighted to see work now begin on site to deliver this vital facility for our citizens."