Elmbridge Council will look into expanding some of the borough’s cemeteries, as new figures reveal two of its seven in the borough are already at full capacity.

A Freedom of Information request by the Surrey Comet found that Hersham Cemetery, in Falmouth Road, and Walton Cemetery are both already full.

The remaining graveyards—Burvale Cemetery in Hersham, Cobham Cemetery, Long Ditton Cemetery, Molesey Cemetery and Weybridge Cemetery—are likely to be at full capacity within the next 15 to 20 years if the current demand continues.

Cemeteries service manager Antoinette Wentworth, cemeteries service manager at the council, said adjacent land next to Burvale, Cobham, Long Ditton and Molesey cemeteries could be used in the future to potentially expand the current graveyards when they become full.

She said: “The council reviews the future of each cemetery every five years and would need to plan a potential extension at least five years before they become full to capacity.”

At present, an ‘exclusive right of burial’ in Elmbridge, which says the person to be buried in a plot can be it’s sole resident, will last for 99 years.

The burial rights can cost up to £2,912 if reserving a space for future use, with child graves costing £427, on top of internment charges which cost up to £1,264 for a person over 12 years old.

An Elmbridge Borough Council spokesman said: “Last year we had 10 public health funeral applications, eight of which we arranged the funerals for, and two of which we were able to locate relatives through a search company we use, who then took over the arrangements.

“There has been an increase of applications in the last few years. There has also been an increase from families requesting information about bereavement benefits that they may be entitled to which can be applied for from the Department of Work and Pensions.”

Howard Greenoff, bereavement grievance services manager and registrar at Kingston Council, said Kingston cemetery would be at full capacity within the next 14 years, whereas Surbiton would be full within 30 years.

He said although there was not a definitive structure in place, the council could look to only open up grave plots at Surbiton once Kingston is full as its capacity is larger.

In Kingston life expectancy for men is 81.3 years, and 85.9 for women.