HUNDREDS of people have written to a council to protest against plans for two crematoria near Lambley.
Developers Westerleigh Group and Nottingham undertaker A W Lymn asked Gedling Borough Council for permission to build a crematorium on two sites off Catfoot Lane earlier this year.
The proposals created strong opposition among residents near to the site and the Crematorium Opposition Group was formed.
Members raised concerns over traffic and the green belt.
The council said yesterday it had received 754 letters of objection against Westerleigh's proposals, as well as 56 letters of support, and 636 objections against A W Lymn's plans, with 21 letters of support.
Around 45 per cent of people objecting to both applications were from Lambley, 18 per cent were from Woodborough, around 15 per cent were from Arnold and Mapperley and the rest from other areas.
Bernadine Lewis, 50, of Elm Grove, said: "I wouldn't like them built there. I wouldn't want to have the area associated with a crematorium.
"The place is also green-belt land and the countryside around here is disappearing quickly, so I am not happy that even more is going.
"There is a traffic concern. There is always a large amount of traffic on Coppice Road and it will get worse. Traffic will begin in peak times and it could mean that people are late for the services. It would also get worse for the close neighbours of the crematoria.''
Ruth Lee, 64, of Ribblesdale Road, Arnold, welcomed the plans. She said: "I think they would be a good local facility. I am sure that the people travelling to the site would use the local area when the service has finished, so that could bring more money into Arnold."
Sylvia Lowe, 74, of Brackendale Avenue, Arnold, said: "They have got to do it somewhere, so why not in this area?"
Notts is served by crematoria in Bramcote, Wilford Hill, Ollerton and Mansfield.
Lynne Fisher, 51, of Needham Road, Arnold, said the nearest crematoria in Bramcote or Mansfield were "too far to travel".
Nigel Lymn Rose, managing director of A W Lymn, said proposals for crematoria always created opposition. "I think it's the fear of the unknown, more than anything else," he added.
A Westerleigh spokesman said a survey in Arnold, Carlton and Calverton revealed that 80 per cent supported plans for a crematorium. "I'm sure if we wanted to get 3,000 signatures to support our application, we could do it," he added.
The council said it was unable to say when a decision on both applications would be made.
