Residents unhappy with plans for green burial site

PLANS for a green burial site in woodlands near homes at Sanquhar in Forres have worried residents.

Concerns were raised after preliminary works got underway to install paths around a field in the Sanquhar Woodlands, where planning permission has been given for one of two green burial sites.

The Forres Community Woodlands Trust (FCWT) have received formal planning consent from Moray Council for two natural burial areas, including access for vehicles, including one at a site known as ‘The Coffin Field’ which located near to homes in the Woodside Drive and Park areas of Sanquhar, where residents are understood to be unhappy with the scale of the works.

The FCWT group have made thier plans for green burials public, including holding a consultation event in Forres Town Hall last year, which was publicised in the ‘Gazette’ to inform people of their plans. However, local residents are voicing their oppostion to the scale of the operation.

“I only found out about it because I was walking my dog and saw the works going on,” said local woman, Linda Munro. “I was told what was happening, but it is the first I have heard about it.”

Mrs Munro said that for a supposedly low key, green burial site, she felt that it looked as if the contractors were “digging a car park” and she was not altogether happy about it.

“I understand that they have got planning permission for a green burial site,” she said, “but I would like to know what it is going to entail and if dog walkers will have to avoid the area, if they don’t want to come face to face with a hearse and a group of mourners.”

Another resident, Claire Fraser told the ‘Gazette’ that she was extremely unhappy about what was happening near her home and had obviously misunderstood the concept of a green burial site, which she thought would have a minimum impact on the land.

“Someone came around several months ago, and asked if we would be in favour of it in principle,” she said, “and I went to a consultation which was held last year in Forres, but thre were as many people opposed to it as there were in favour.”

She added: “If it is going to be a green burial site, then let us keep it as such. Why are these paths been put in?”

Another man who does not wish to be named said that the contractors have bulldozed what was just a grass deer path, used by dog walkers.

The planning permission states that the width of vehicular access shall be 5.5metres for a distance of 15 metres from the public road. The access mut also be kerbed, and footpaths surfaced in bituman, and to Moray Council specifications.

The FCWT said that they were not ready to progresss their plans for green burials yet, and would fully inform the public, nearer the summer months, of their intentions.

“All we’re doing right now is getting ready to improve the existing pedestrian path running across the field and down towards the main Sanquhar mains track,” said FCWT spokesman Chris Piper. “There is no secret about what is happening. Formal planning consent for two natural burial areas within the Sanquhar Woodlands (including the coffin field) was obtained in 2010.”He said various options were being considered and “full and more comprehensive information” would be made public in the near future.

“It is nothing to be alarmed about,” he said. “The community has been consulted on a number of occasions now about the Trust’s intentions and almost without exception, the response has been very positive in as far as the Trust is developing plans to offer another community service available to anyone who might wish to avail themselves of it.”

He said that burials are not planned yet until the right organisational, funding and other matters are in place.

“Also to be clear the FCWT is not setting itself up as being in “competition” with undertakers,” he said, “on the contrary we hope to work in partnership with our local undertakers to make options available to folk who might want an alternative to the traditional cemetery burial or cremation.”

He said that the natural burial site would be low key and once buried, there will be no surface evidence and people will continue to be free to use and enjoy the woodlands and cross the coffin field just as ever before.