6,760 waiting to buy a grave

There are 6,760 applicants waiting to buy a grave in various cemeteries around Malta, with the Addolorata Cemetery facing the biggest number of requests, a spokesperson for the parliamentary secretariat has confirmed.

The Environment and Planning Commission on Friday approved a planning permission for the extension and development of 2,280 new graves at the Addolorata Cemetery, which will be sited at Tal-Horr. The site, for years subject to extensive dumping, abuts the cemetery at the southern flank.

The addition of new graves at the Addolorata has long been in the works, with promises of building 2,000 graves dating back to before the 2008 general elections. Excavation works were abruptly stopped in December 2010 and the MEPA permit eventually expired.

A new development permit to continue the works, that had already cost the country €1.5 million, was filed by the government in 2014.

A 2008 annual report of government departments showed that the initial project

included the extension of the cemetery to incorporate additional graves. However, it was later decided to prepare a master plan for the upgrading and extension of the Maria Addolorata Cemetery.

With a pressing waiting list, the government in 2012 announced plans to sell 3,000 graves, each for €5,000 – although a parliamentary reply revealed that the real cost would be €8,000. Following the public call, 369 promise-of-sale agreements were signed with applicants against a deposit of €2,500.

The agreements, valid for three years, were never registered with the Lands Department. Health parliamentary secretary Chris Fearne reassured that all legal commitments would be honoured and, where necessary, agreements would be extended.

“A process is currently underway to register all promise-of-sale agreements signed by the previous administration,” Fearne said.

The extension of the Addolorata cemetery will include the original semi-circular plaza as designed by architect Emanuele Luigi Galizia. To maximise burial space, the graves have been designed to consist of four tiers with an ossuary below.

Over 55 additional car parking spaces will be created along the road leading to the cemetery.