Chapel owner hits back in graveyard row

THE owner of the former Delph Chapel has defended her right to restrict access to the adjoining graveyard.

Paula Rothermel, who has planning permission to transform the chapel into apartments, says she is entitled to install a locked gate at the Hill End Road entrance.

She spoke out after a meeting was arranged by parish councillor Ken Hulme, who said he was angry that relatives were being prevented from visiting graves, and the fencing off of a second entrance.

Villagers can gain access to the graveyard by visiting Bridges Estate Agents in Uppermill and borrowing a key.

Moved
Paula bought the property with her husband from the previous owner’s creditors. She moved to Switzerland in 2007 with her children after her husband Jonathan Smith died suddenly.

They had planned to build accommodation at the back of the chapel and live there with their children, renovate the dilapidated chapel and donate the two graveyards to the community.

However she says she has now been forced to close the entrances intended for private access only.

Dr Rothermel said: “Visitors to graves are welcome but there is no public right of entry. There is no ‘public access’ and this is not a public space.

“This makes me very sad, but attempts to take over my land without going through a proper purchase procedure as the land is for sale, leaves me little alternative.

“My late husband and I made a massive emotional and financial investment in our dream.”

But parish councillor Ken Hulme has called a meeting at Delph Methodist Church Hall on Sunday from 3pm for locals to air their views.

He said: “This is not a redundant graveyard. People are still being buried there and many local residents have burial plots in the graveyard and wish to be buried there in the future.”

He argues that the graveyard has been an open space for more than two centuries and has even played a part in setting up a “friends” group with the aim of cleaning up the site.

But the owner says this would be trespassing and that the gates have been erected as a direct result of Councillor Hulme’s actions and his “negative campaign”.

She added: “No one contacted me for permission or co-operation. We are the only people that have wanted to do something to improve the chapel —nobody else has in the past.

“I cannot help but think that if there was genuine concern about the chapel, approaches would have been friendlier.”

Councillor Hulme retaliated saying: “They have planning permission to convert the old chapel but they were forbidden to build in the graveyard and public access was guaranteed.

“People are outraged.”

Access to the graveyard is outlined in planning permission from an opening in Delph Lane, which has previously been bricked up.

The owner says she is happy to work with anyone in the village who will be willing to reinstate the entrance, planned to be reopened as part of the development.