Work to improve Maidstone Cemetery, and ultimately reopen the chapel after more than 12 years out of action, is underway - but costing more than expected.

Maidstone Borough Council's Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee proposed spending more than £200,000 last autumn on bringing the Grade II-listed chapel back into use for funeral services later this year.

The Sutton Road building has fallen into a state of disrepair in recent times, with the council admitting its Bereavement Services department has lost "a lot of income" due to its closure in 2006.

Families have also vented frustration at the way it has been left to rot, with three-quarters of respondents claiming in a recent survey they would have used the chapel for a funeral service if it has been available.

Councillors discussing the proposals claimed it was "an absolute no-brainer" before giving the green light in the autumn.

The refurbishment of the chapel is the second phase of a two-part project to improve the cemetery, over fears the council is running out of grave space, and missing out on much-needed cash.

Plans for the first phase included demolishing the Gate Keeper's House, which is now uninhabitable due to asbestos, constructing a new staff welfare facility, installing CCTV and expanding the car park and the section of the site used for cremated remains, with the council fearing there is now only six years' worth of space left.

However, the cost of procuring Bromley Demolition to bring down the Gate Keeper's House came to some £30,000 - a figure the council admits was "significantly more than the original estimate".

Similarly, the full cost of the proposed car park scheme now appears to be greater than originally priced, and so is set to be delayed until after the rest of the first phase has been completed.

As a result, the town hall is proposing to pump in an extra £50,000 of cash raised from the crematorium and transferring a further £20,000 from Grounds Maintenance Income to fund the rest of phase one.

Bosses say that once the full costs of phase one are known, specifically those for the welfare facility, they will seek capital funding for the next stage, including reopening the chapel, from the Policy and Resources Committee.

Earlier this week it emerged that an infant's body is one of 15 set to be disturbed at Tunbridge Wells Cemetery to potentially make way for new houses.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone.