DEVELOPERS have appealed to the Secretary of State to overturn Bromsgrove planning committee’s decision to refuse their proposal to build a crematorium in a Rubery cemetery.

The plans, submitted by H2 Land Ltd, suggested the chapel maintenance building at Waseley Hill Cemetery, which lies on Green Belt land, be developed to allow cremations to take place.

But, at a planning meeting in September last year, committee members remained unconvinced there was “unmet need” for a crematorium in the area, after rejecting the developers’ first application to build one in 2014.

Residents, who turned out in force to the meeting, also voiced concerns over the development of Green Belt land and the visual impact the protruding chimney flue would have on the countryside.

Planners voted unanimously to refuse the proposal, despite officers’ recommendations to approve it.

Developers have now lodged an appeal against the decision, insisting the benefits of the crematorium ‘clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt’ - a move which has been met by outrage from Rubery’s residents.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We’ve battled this twice already and thought we had knocked it on the head. Now they’ve made an appeal so who knows what will happen. It’s ridiculous.”

Rubery North councillor Peter McDonald, who spoke out against the proposal at September’s meeting, says he has spoken with more than 220 people opposed to the plans.

He said: “Residents have made their feelings quite clear, but it seems local democracy and local people’s feelings mean absolutely nothing when the Secretary of State can take over and overturn the decision. It just shows planning committees are nothing but a sham.

“Local residents are quite clearly concerned that their standard of living will be destroyed living next to a crematorium, and these views were shared by the planning committee. But if you’ve got a wallet large enough you can always try your luck at appeal. I think it’s absolutely disgraceful.”

A spokesman for H2 Lands was unavailable for comment at the time of going to print.

To comment on the appeal, search “3168297” on acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk.