Campaign victory as cemetery lodge housing plans scrapped
Community opposition forces withdrawal of plans to convert cemetery lodge into homes
Plans to convert a lodge in Kingston Cemetery into housing have been withdrawn following community opposition led by a lone campaigner.
Portsmouth-born resident Paul Newman won the backing of thousands of people after demonstrating outside St Mary’s Lodge to oppose plans to turn the building into two homes.
The Portsmouth Housing Community Trust (PHCT) had submitted a planning application to Portsmouth City Council to convert the former lodge into two properties.
The charity aims to redevelop homes and buildings into accommodation to help meet local priority housing needs.
Mr Newman, who visits Kingston Cemetery five times a day to visit the grave of his twin brother Ricky, petitioned against the proposal. Paul's sister, Jayne Nancarrow, started the petition, collecting signatures at Pam's Artistic Florist on New Road.
Ricky Newman died 28 years ago after he was found outside Havant and Waterlooville Football Club Social Club having suffered a blow to the head. An inquest into his death recorded an open verdict.
Despite having spinal muscular atrophy and using a wheelchair, Mr Newman stood outside the lodge collecting signatures for his petition, which attracted more than 3,000 supporters.
Reacting to the application being withdrawn, which was confirmed on June 16, he said he was “ecstatic”, reaffirming his belief that a cemetery is “no place” for housing.
Instead, Mr Newman has suggested turning the lodge into a community café and is considering fundraising to help make the idea a reality.
He said he would ideally like the “community hub” café to be run by a charity and has already received positive feedback from residents, some of whom have offered to donate towards the project or volunteer in the café.
“I don’t think a greasy spoon would be appropriate, I just thought sandwiches, cakes and a nice pot of tea.”
The planning application received 80 objections from members of the public.
PHCT previously said the lodge was originally built to house cemetery staff and their families but had stood vacant for many years. While acknowledging the sensitivities surrounding the proposal, the trust said it was confident the building could be brought back into use “with very little impact on the cemetery itself”.