Government issues banning order to owners of Tottenham Park Cemetery following concerns over disturbance of existing graves

The government has banned one of the largest Turkish cemeteries in the UK from all new burials following a series of inspections at the site in Edmonton.

The owners of Tottenham Park Cemetery have been accused of disturbing existing graves by allowing burials to continue after the site had become full.

Enfield Council leader Nesil Caliskan has also accused them of showing “a complete lack of care and compassion” by failing to make necessary improvements.

The Ministry of Justice this week issued a burial notice order under the Burial Act 1853 which requires burials be stopped at the privately-run cemetery in Montagu Road. This means no new burials are permitted, except where plots have previously been reserved. Visitors to the existing graves would still be allowed.

Complaints about the site were first raised by the council, Tottenham Park Cemetery Action Group, Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece who is part of the group, as well as local MPs.

Cllr Caliskan said: “I welcome the order by the secretary of state which seeks to discontinue new burials at Tottenham Park Cemetery.

“For far too long, family members of the deceased have experienced a complete lack of care and compassion for their loved ones remains as they watched an important community cemetery fall into disrepair while burials continued despite the site being full.

“Thanks to campaigning by members of the community and councillors, the government has stepped in to ensure that new burials are ceased. I would like to thank ministers for listening to our concerns and taking action.

“I understand it will be the responsibility of the police to effectively enforce the order and I will make it clear that I expect this to happen to give confidence to the families of the deceased that their loved ones remains are being respected and well maintained.”

The cemetery’s co-owner has previously said the attempt to close the cemetery was being led by people with “personal motives” and that if they were successful in stopping new burials there it would be “a disaster for the community”.

Mustafa Dari said: “This is motivated by individuals with influence within the Ministry of Justice and the London Borough of Enfield for personal motives that has nothing to do with the cemetery and its current operation.”

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