Cemetery Improvements Include Wildlife-Friendly Lighting

Lights that will be installed at the main cemetery in Reading will be switched off during closure times to limit disturbance for bats and other animals.

Lights at the crematorium building in Reading’s Henley Road Cemetery will be switched off outside opening hours to limit disturbance to bats and other animals.

The new lighting is one part of wider works planned for the site, which include a new staff area, funeral director’s collection facilities, a plant room and improvements to courtyard accessibility such as retaining walls, level adjustments, new ramps and staircases.

The project is being carried out by Reading Borough Council as managers of the cemetery and had to be approved by councillors. Nathalie Weekes, a senior council planning officer, told representatives the scheme will see 'type D' exterior lights installed on the building with a warm tone.

The lights will only be used during opening hours: 9am to 5pm from October 1 to March 31, and 9am to 8pm from April 1 to September 30.

Ms Weekes explained: "This is because there is a lot of biodiversity around, and it's to try and limit any impact on the bats that are in the locality."

Councillor Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey) asked what the light levels will be, saying she lives near Oxford Road and is 'accosted by Times Square level lighting.'

Mrs Weekes replied that the light wattage must meet certain lux levels for accessibility and to help those with visual impairment. She said: In terms of impact, there is limited impact on neighbouring properties, due to the fact that it is centrally located, and in this particular instance, the hours of use condition are only in use during the time it is open.

Cllr Jo Lovelock (Labour, Norcot) said: "I welcome it, I think it will bring some needed improvements, both that the public will see, but also the staff, so let's hope they can get on with it quickly."

The improvements and the conditions controlling the lights were unanimously approved at the council’s planning applications committee meeting on January 7. You can view the application on the council planning portal using reference PL/25/1679.

The work is part of phased improvements to the cemetery. The council is also set to turn over the Henley Road allotments as burial space, which would provide about 2,300 new graves amid fears Reading could run out of burial space by 2030.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter