Today, Save Southwark Woods reports it has alerted over 50 Southwark Churches that new burials are above the dead – and to ask whether members of their congregation would be happy to be buried over other people’s remains.

The Camberwell Cemeteries are full. Their owner Southwark Council is attempting the largest grave excavation and ‘reuse’ project in UK history: to excavate or mound over tens of thousands of graves at Camberwell Old and New Cemeteries, for resale as new burial plots.

But these ‘new’ private burial plots are over tens of thousands of existing graves – public, paupers’ or common graves.

Southwark Council is already cutting down acres of woods and trees, removing headstones and memorials and piling earth over the top public graves for ‘new’ private plots. After this, all private graves over 75 years old are to be excavated and resold.

Southwark claims this is to provide ‘local burial for local people’.

But local campaigners Save Southwark Woods say many people have told them they would refuse to be buried over an existing burial ground, as it would be against their religious beliefs.

This is a test case for cemeteries around the country. The law says Councils should only pursue such projects with the support of the local community and families.

Many families are contacting SSW horrified at the thought of their relatives being dug up. And SSW is finding that burial over existing graves may be unsuitable for many of Southwark’s residents.

Save Southwark Woods and 11,000 supporters want to save the 100 acres of full inner city cemeteries as nature reserves, with respect for the dead and woods, meadows, allotments and playing fields for the living.

Ample burial space for residents of all faiths is available in nearby Sidcup.

But in Camberwell Old Cemetery, an ancient Hawthorn hedgerow and meadows have already been destroyed and tens of thousands of common graves mounded over along Woodvale, with hundreds of dead now laid to rest on top.

And two acres of woodland has been clear-felled at ‘Area Z’ to sell 750 ‘new’ plots over the graves of 48,000 of London’s poor.

SSW wants to know, are families are being told their loved ones are being buried over the dead?

How is the Council informing people when they inquire about buying a plot?

And if this burial is unsuitable for many of Southwark’s residents and so many thousands of people are against it, why is the Council doing it?