PLANS have been submitted to establish a new Jewish burial ground in Whitefield.

A planning application lodged on behalf of Greenfield MP Ltd, a company set up to tend to the burial needs of the Jewish community, has pinpointed land at Old Hall Lane in Whitefield, close to the junction with Philips Park Road.

There are already two burial grounds close by, with Machzikei Hadass Cemetery and Philips Park Jewish Cemetery, both offering a chapel and on site parking spaces.

Facilities provided by the current cemeteries are to be made available for use by those attending the proposed cemetery.

The burial ground is set to include formal burial plots together with pedestrian access paths and some landscaping.

A "nature path" circumventing the burial area, and running between the site boundary, is also proposed, as is a small entrance and parking area, which will cater for disabled vehicle and hearse parking.

The proposal does not include for the construction of an on site chapel and under Jewish law, cremation is not an option, so there will be no proposal to include

facilities for cremation.

A design and access statement said: "This area is already established as an area housing cemeteries for the Jewish community.

"Due to the expected shortage of space within the two existing cemeteries, and others within the Greater Manchester area, the requirement for the proposed cemetery is of necessity and this location considered ideal.

"In March 2018 the Manchester Beth Din highlighted the requirement for additional cemeteries to serve the Jewish community and that need remains even more so today.

"If approved this area would provide a significant open space to enable areas of nature conservation by way of natural grasslands and other various habitats amongst which opportunity for wild life to inhabit is given. It would also form a secure buffer to further development and encroachment onto green belt land".

In February 2019, three chapels within the existing cemetery on Old Hall Lane were damaged by vandals who also smashed windows and a headstone.

CCTV was also stolen by the offenders from a chapel "in an attempt to cover their tracks", Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

The offences were treated as a hate crime by officers.