Plans for a new cemetery for High Wycombe are one step closer.

Wycombe District Council (WDC) has submitted plans for the cemetery in Queensway, Hazlemere, after unveiling the proposals to residents in October last year.

If approved, the new site would include a woodland walk, reflective pools, an admin building and on-site parking for 32 cars, including three disabled spaces.

The council is looking for an extra £475,000 after the cost of the project went up from £1.2 million to £1.68 million.

More than £400,000 has been allocated from High Wycombe Town Committee reserves and £800,000 has come from the council’s Community Infrastructure Levy local allocation.

A number of residents have objected to the plans, with Nasif Uddin writing: “30 spaces would not suffice for a standard funeral, imagine what would happen with multiple funerals held on the same day.

“This will cause parking issues and increased traffic in the local neighbourhood, as well as necessitating the need of single and double yellow lines on surrounding roads.

“The area itself has seen a huge increase in traffic over the past five years. Creating the cemetery will further exacerbate the traffic issue within Hazlemere town, which has two mini roundabouts and long tail backs during peak hours.

“I would be in support of such a facility either by expanding other burial sites in the area or moving further out into open space land not so close to any villages and town centres.”

And Lisa Dodd said the site was “too far” from the High Wycombe area.

She wrote: “There are no facilities provided for visitors. I would expect many of the visitors to be elderly and relying on public transport. I would expect at the very least provision for toilets and, given its remote location, somewhere to get a cup of tea.

“Due to the remote location there will need to be security provision. This should be a person during opening hours and monitored remote cameras at other times.

“However, this it out of keeping for a rural location – another reason for finding a more suitable site. As there is no building for funeral services this will mean mourners attending services elsewhere and travelling (mainly by car) to attend burials.

“This will add to traffic pollution rather than having a ‘one stop’ provision.

“This proposed cemetery will add to the congestion in the area and the lack of sufficient on-site parking will result in local roads being used as overspill car parks.”

WDC said in its design and access statement that the location was chosen after a feasibility study and site surveys, and the proposals have been “carefully considered” and “informed” by national and local planning policies, landscape character assessments and professional research and advice.

And, writing about the parking spaces, the council said: “Essential to any cemetery is sufficient arrival space and car parking to prevent any potential overspill or congestion and backing up in the entrance area.

“However, this is very unlikely because sufficient parking is provided on site.”

The council’s head of environmental services expressed concerns about residents living within the newly instated Air Quality Management Areas, saying the majority of vehicle movements from the development are “likely to pass through the High Wycombe Air Quality Management Area as the A404 Amersham Hill provides access to High Wycombe”.

They added that they objected to the plans unless a condition was imposed for the council to install four electric vehicle charging points to “reduce the negative impact on the health of residents living within Air Quality Management Areas”.

A decision is expected to be made by March 5.