THE Bradford Council for Mosques has welcomed plans to expand the city’s Muslim burial ground.

Last week Bradford Council’s Executive agreed to update the existing lease for Scholemoor Cemetery with the Council of Mosques, and seek to expand the cemetery to provide an extra seven years of burial space.

The existing cemetery only has enough space for three more years.

The Council hopes an area of former allotment land next to the cemetery could be used for the expansion, and officers are now negotiating.

Zulfiqar Karim, Secretary General of CFM, said, “We are delighted by the decision of the Council Executive. This is an endorsement of the productive partnership that has existed between the Bradford Council and the CFM over 30 years.

"We are committed to working with the Council to providing a quality burial provision which is reflective of the community’s faith needs.

"We would like to acknowledge the support and the goodwill that we have enjoyed over the years from the Bradford Council for developing and strengthening the provision for this essential area of need.”

The expansion will form part of a £17 million shake up of bereavement services which also includes the creation of two new crematoria in the district, and the refurbishment of Oakworth Crematorium.