Anne Wright and her niece Jane Reynolds

GRAVE owners at Highgate Cemetery say that they have been mis-sold burial plots after not being informed of plans to build a controversial building on part of the active burial ground.

The proposed Gardener’s Building – a maintenance block that includes a toilet – is proposed to be built on the east side of the cemetery on an area known as the “Mound” where nearly 200 people are laid to rest, some recently buried.

Several grave owners have said they were not notified of the planning application for the proposed building, which was submitted by the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust in December 2024.

The trust has since said it lacked up-to-date contact details for mound grave owners, however the New Journal understands that correspondence was sent to plot holders on two separate occasions before the planning application was submitted.

Ann Wright owns a plot on the mound bought for her by her niece two years ago.

It is intended to be her final resting place and also contain the ashes of her recently deceased mother.

Ms Wright told the New Journal: “We paid a lot of money for this grave and we’re not talking about tuppence and it’s extraordinary – they are acting so heavy-handed as if we don’t matter at all.”

The 82-year-old said she and her niece were unaware of any of the plans for the mound until June 3 when a meeting took place.

“Before we bought that plot on the mound it was sold to us as a very quiet area surrounded by trees and nature with absolutely nothing there except the newest and most visited graves,” said Ms Wright.

“I’m not in my grave yet but the people who have been recently bereaved are absolutely distraught. It will destroy the nature of the place.

“I am angry and disappointed obviously because I thought the Trust would above all be in the interest of grave holders and that isn’t the case here. People are furious at the lack of consultation and when the consultation came to light mound grave owners weren’t treated with the respect they deserved.”

Cremation graves on the mound start at £6,475 and £32,580 for full burials.

How the new block has ben designed

Jane Reynolds, Ms Wright’s niece, said the trust had been “underhand” and added: “I know what we bought and we didn’t buy a plot on a building site. We bought a grave in a tranquil place with trees all around it and birdsong and what we’ve been sold is a potential building site.

“It’s not just what the building will look like – or the fact that they hadn’t told us or consulted us about the plans. It’s mainly about how disruptive the construction and building work will be if it is to be built, when people are visiting graves to mourn, lay flowers and think. How can they be so insensitive?

“The plot was an awful lot of money and I couldn’t imagine her anywhere else, it was just very fitting. I don’t know whether my aunt would have bought a plot if she knew there would be building work on there in the future.”

A protest at the cemetery last month

A spokesperson for the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust said: “The Unlocking Highgate Cemetery conservation masterplan is to enable us to address the urgent issues degrading the fabric of historic structures, and invasive species threatening the rich biodiversity of the 36-acre cemetery.

“Consultation on the conservation masterplan and the Gardener’s Building within it took place over two years, with a near-continuous display of materials about the proposals in the courtyard at the entrance to the west side of the cemetery and available on the Highgate Cemetery website. The exhibitions were supplemented by appearances at local community events such as Fair in the Square and advertising in the Camden New Journal.

“Over the past few months, we have been having conversations with a number of grave-owners about our conservation masterplan, and especially the proposal for a new Gardeners’ Building for the maintenance team and grave diggers who look after the cemetery. Following this, The trust has now decided to pause; to take some time to reflect and consider how its plans may be adapted to incorporate the feedback received.”