In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful
Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery Trust
Charity Registration No. 1072903
Cemetery Address and Telephone Numbers:
Correspondence Address:
Website and E mail address:
Elmbridge Road, Hainault, Ilford Essex IG6 3SW
020 8502 6000 and 07729 707013
PO Box 2241, Ilford IG1 9UX
www.gardens-of-peace.org.uk
[email protected]
01 July 2016
By email only: [email protected]
Mr Matthew Maple
Planning and Regeneration
LB Redbridge
Town Hall, 128-142 High Road
Ilford IG1 1DD
Dear Mr Maple
I am writing on behalf of a substantial proportion of the Muslim population of Redbridge to
raise, what is for us an important and significant matter for the Borough to consider in
formulating its plans for the future (“Redbridge 2028”).
Introduction
Gardens of Peace is a registered charity that has been successfully operating in the Borough
since 2002, providing burial space for the London Muslim community. Cremations are not
permitted in the Muslim faith, so burial is the only method for dealing with the deceased.
As the cemetery is situated in the Borough, it has by dint of proximity become almost
exclusively used for burial by Redbridge Muslims.
We are of course aware of the Forest Park Cemetery in Forest Road, Hainault. An enquiry
relating to the provision of burial space there for Muslims was met with the following
response:
“Thank you for your enquiry regarding our cemetery. We do not have a dedicated Muslim
section here at Forest Park and do not permit shroud burial. I would suggest contacting the
Gardens of Peace which is a dedicated Muslim cemetery.
“We do accept all faiths at Forest Park; however, we are not set up for next day burials. We
have a grave digging team that covers a number of sites and needs a number of days notice
before the burial can take place.
“If you would like any more information please feel free to contact us.”
The above response indicates that Forest Park is not an effective provision of burial space for
Muslims in the Borough, not least because there is no dedicated Muslim section (the faith
requirements here are similar to consecrated grounds in the Christian faith) and also because
other important faith aspects, such as immediacy in conducting burials and for burials to be in
shrouds instead of coffins, are not catered for at all.
In short, the Borough does not make provision for Muslim burial space/requirements, contrary
we believe to its civic duty to do so and in keeping with practice elsewhere in the country.
Redbridge Burials conducted at Gardens of Peace
Prior to November 2002, when Gardens of Peace opened its cemetery, Muslim burials were
accommodated in a designated area at the Barkingside cemetery; at the time there were only
a handful of spaces left in this designated area.
Over the years since Gardens of Peace opened, there have been 879 burials in total to the
end of 2012 from Redbridge – representing approx.12% of total burials at Gardens of Peace.
These burials, which cover all age groups including foetuses, would have had to have
otherwise been accommodated by the Borough.
Gardens of Peace is keen to continue its charitable activity of providing burial space for the
Muslim community however space at its current site, Elmbridge Road, is estimated to be
sufficient only for a further 5 - 7 years of operation.
Redbridge Population Census
As you are probably aware, the 2011 Census disclosed that the population of Muslims in the
Borough has more than doubled over the 10 years and now represents some 23% of the
Borough’s population.
Projections for the Borough show continued population growth and it must be assumed that
the Muslim population will continue to grow at least in line with the overall growth rate, with a
consequential impact on Muslim burial space requirements in the Borough.
2011 London Plan
The London Mayor’s 2011 Plan, Policy 7.23, deals with burial spaces and we quote briefly
from it as follows:
Strategic
The Mayor will work with boroughs, cemetery providers and other key stakeholders to protect
existing burial spaces and to promote new provision.
LDF preparation
Boroughs should ensure provision is made for London’s burial needs including the
needs of those groups for whom burial is the only option [this includes Muslims]. Provision
should be based on the principle of proximity to local communities and reflect the different
requirements for types of provision.
We do not believe the Borough’s plans adequately reflect the policy set out in the London
Plan for the Borough’s Muslim residents.
Conclusion
There is no effective provision of burial space for Muslims by the Borough. The Borough’s
Muslim population has doubled and is expected to continue to grow at least in line with the
overall projected growth rate in the Borough’s population.
The Borough’s plans do not in our view reflect Policy 7.23 of the 2011 London Plan.
Although Gardens of Peace has provided burial space for all of London’s Muslims and
especially Redbridge Muslims by dint of proximity, burial space is limited at its current
cemetery.
We therefore strongly believe that the Borough’s plans for the future should identify burial
space for the Borough’s Muslim population and would suggest the arguments set out above
provide a compelling case for it to do so.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like any further information or would like to
discuss any aspect of this letter.
We have taken the liberty of copying this letter to Mr Andrew Barry-Purssell, Head of London
Plan at the Greater London Authority, with whom we have been in contact in relation to the
provision of burial space in London.
Yours sincerely,
Farouk Ismail
Secretary & Trustee
[email protected]
Mobile: 07919 287610
cc Mr Andrew Barry-Purssell, Head of London Plan, London Mayors Office, GLA, City Hall
The contents of this submission have the support of the following Redbridge organisations
which represent a substantial proportion of the Borough’s Muslim population:
[Ilford Muslim Society, 112 Balfour Road, Ilford IG1]
[Ilford Islamic Centre, 52-58 Albert Road, Ilford IG1]
[Redbridge Islamic Centre,179 Eastern Ave. Ilford IG4 and 28 Woodford Avenue Ilford IG2]
[Seven Kings Mosque, 645 High Road, Seven Kings IG3]
[Al Madina Mosque, 2 Victoria Road, Barking IG11]
[North Ilford Islamic Centre, Al Falah Mosque, 97 Kensington Gardens Ilford IG1]
[South Woodford Muslim Community Centre, 12-14 Mulberry Way, South Woodford E18]
[Ilford Muslim Community Centre, Eton Road, Ilford IG1]
[Redbridge Islamic Education Centre and Mosque 103 Belgrave Road, Ilford IG1]
In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful
Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery Trust
Charity Registration No. 1072903
Cemetery Address and Telephone Numbers:
Correspondence Address:
Website and E mail address:
Elmbridge Road, Hainault, Ilford Essex IG6 3SW
020 8502 6000 and 07729 707013
PO Box 2241, Ilford IG1 9UX
www.gardens-of-peace.org.uk
[email protected]
15 July 2016
By email only: [email protected]
Mr Matthew Maple
Planning and Regeneration
LB Redbridge
Town Hall, 128-142 High Road
Ilford IG1 1DD
Dear Mr Maple
I am writing on behalf of a substantial proportion of the Muslim population of Redbridge to
raise, what is for us an important and significant matter for the Borough to consider in
formulating its plans for the future (“Redbridge 2028”).
Introduction
Gardens of Peace is a registered charity that has been successfully operating in the Borough
since 2002, providing burial space for the London Muslim community. Cremations are not
permitted in the Muslim faith, so burial is the only method for dealing with the deceased.
As the cemetery is situated in the Borough, it has by dint of proximity become almost
exclusively used for burial by Redbridge Muslims.
We are of course aware of the Forest Park Cemetery in Forest Road, Hainault. An enquiry
relating to the provision of burial space there for Muslims was met with the following
response:
“Thank you for your enquiry regarding our cemetery. We do not have a dedicated Muslim
section here at Forest Park and do not permit shroud burial. I would suggest contacting the
Gardens of Peace which is a dedicated Muslim cemetery.
“We do accept all faiths at Forest Park; however, we are not set up for next day burials. We
have a grave digging team that covers a number of sites and needs a number of days notice
before the burial can take place.
“If you would like any more information please feel free to contact us.”
The above response indicates that Forest Park is not an effective provision of burial space for
Muslims in the Borough, not least because there is no dedicated Muslim section (the faith
requirements here are similar to consecrated grounds in the Christian faith) and also because
other important faith aspects, such as immediacy in conducting burials and for burials to be in
shrouds instead of coffins, are not catered for at all.
In short, the Borough does not make provision for Muslim burial space/requirements, contrary
we believe to its civic duty to do so and in keeping with practice elsewhere in the country.
Redbridge Burials conducted at Gardens of Peace
Prior to November 2002, when Gardens of Peace opened its cemetery, Muslim burials were
accommodated in a designated area at the Barkingside cemetery; at the time there were only
a handful of spaces left in this designated area.
Over the years since Gardens of Peace opened, there have been 879 burials in total to the
end of 2012 from Redbridge – representing approx.12% of total burials at Gardens of Peace.
These burials, which cover all age groups including foetuses, would have had to have
otherwise been accommodated by the Borough.
Gardens of Peace is keen to continue its charitable activity of providing burial space for the
Muslim community however space at its current site, Elmbridge Road, is estimated to be
sufficient only for a further 5 - 7 years of operation.
Redbridge Population Census
As you are probably aware, the 2011 Census disclosed that the population of Muslims in the
Borough has more than doubled over the 10 years and now represents some 23% of the
Borough’s population.
Projections for the Borough show continued population growth and it must be assumed that
the Muslim population will continue to grow at least in line with the overall growth rate, with a
consequential impact on Muslim burial space requirements in the Borough.
2011 London Plan
The London Mayor’s 2011 Plan, Policy 7.23, deals with burial spaces and we quote briefly
from it as follows:
Strategic
The Mayor will work with boroughs, cemetery providers and other key stakeholders to protect
existing burial spaces and to promote new provision.
LDF preparation
Boroughs should ensure provision is made for London’s burial needs including the
needs of those groups for whom burial is the only option [this includes Muslims]. Provision
should be based on the principle of proximity to local communities and reflect the different
requirements for types of provision.
We do not believe the Borough’s plans adequately reflect the policy set out in the London
Plan for the Borough’s Muslim residents.
Conclusion
There is no effective provision of burial space for Muslims by the Borough. The Borough’s
Muslim population has doubled and is expected to continue to grow at least in line with the
overall projected growth rate in the Borough’s population.
The Borough’s plans do not in our view reflect Policy 7.23 of the 2011 London Plan.
Although Gardens of Peace has provided burial space for all of London’s Muslims and
especially Redbridge Muslims by dint of proximity, burial space is limited at its current
cemetery.
We therefore strongly believe that the Borough’s plans for the future should identify burial
space for the Borough’s Muslim population and would suggest the arguments set out above
provide a compelling case for it to do so.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like any further information or would like to
discuss any aspect of this letter.
We have taken the liberty of copying this letter to Mr Andrew Barry-Purssell, Head of London
Plan at the Greater London Authority, with whom we have been in contact in relation to the
provision of burial space in London.
Yours sincerely,
Farouk Ismail
Secretary & Trustee
[email protected]
Mobile: 07919 287610
cc Mr Andrew Barry-Purssell, Head of London Plan, London Mayors Office, GLA, City Hall
The contents of this submission have the support of the following Redbridge organisations
which represent a substantial proportion of the Borough’s Muslim population:
[Ilford Muslim Society, 112 Balfour Road, Ilford IG1]
[Ilford Islamic Centre, 52-58 Albert Road, Ilford IG1]
[Redbridge Islamic Centre,179 Eastern Ave. Ilford IG4 and 28 Woodford Avenue Ilford IG2]
[Seven Kings Mosque, 645 High Road, Seven Kings IG3]
[Al Madina Mosque, 2 Victoria Road, Barking IG11]
[North Ilford Islamic Centre, Al Falah Mosque, 97 Kensington Gardens Ilford IG1]
[South Woodford Muslim Community Centre, 12-14 Mulberry Way, South Woodford E18]
[Ilford Muslim Community Centre, Eton Road, Ilford IG1]
[Redbridge Islamic Education Centre and Mosque 103 Belgrave Road, Ilford IG1]