THREE sites have been picked as potential above-ground burial cemeteries by Bicester Town Council.

At a meeting last week, councillors agreed to seek planning permission for a cemetery at three sites - next to the electricity substation in Pingle Field, at St Mary's Close and off Priory Lane.

None of the sites are suitable for traditional burials because of the type of soil and the water table level.

But they could be used for the above-ground concrete burial chambers the council is considering as an answer to Bicester's cemetery crisis.

Town council leader Debbie Pickford said: "We have been advised by the district council they do need an outline planning application on any land we think we might need.

"No decisions have been made and we will still be looking for other land."

Miss Pickford said the land between the substation and Pingle Drive could last up to 150 years if used for above-ground burials.

The Priory Lane site could last up to 30 years, and the site at St Mary's Close another 150 years, she added.

She said: "We are talking about substantial periods of time if we go down this new route. If we don't get planning permission to do it, there's no point in negotiations to buy.

"They would only be useful for above-ground burial - they would not be useful in any way, shape or form for traditional burials."

Last month, councillors banned residents from reserving burial plots after Miss Pickford warned the current cemetery in Pingle Field could be full by next spring.

Over the past few months, the council has dug boreholes on 12 verges around the town's ring road to test the suitability of adjacent land for traditional burials.

Councillors believe many landowners have refused to allow land to be tested because they hope to make more money selling it to developers.

And this week Miss Pickford said although several sites had proved suitable, the best land was between Wretchwick Farm and the Church of England-owned allotments in Skimmingdish Lane.

In February, the Church of England refused to allow the allotments to be tested, as it was considering building offices and a car park on the site.

A public inquiry into the refusal of planning permission for those proposals has been adjourned until next month.