Decision due on cemetery plans
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Several years of planning work may finally come to fruition as councillors are asked to approve the plans for a new cemetery for Turriff next week.
The meeting of the Formartine Area Committee takes place on Tuesday in Ellon and has been recommended for approval by planning officers.
An original application was made back in March of 2017 with concerns raised about a lack of public transport accessing the area and no defined pedestrian access to the location.
SEPA also raised an objection on the basis of groundwater pollution due to the proximity of two water wells within 250 metres of the site and which were considered to be a high risk.
Plans then sat in limbo for nearly 11 months before a response was finally received from Scottish Water in January of 2018 which did not object to the application.
Following submission of a new application for the Turriff site, they show that two new passing places will be created on the road which leads of Meadowbank Road to the north, one in-between existing properties at Red Roofs and Wellfield and a further one at the proposed entrance to the north of Lingasound.
Submitted plans also indicate that the extensive site would be split into several areas.
From the roadside car park at the entrance, a area is laid out for 1616 caskets, which in turn leads into the first section of lairs, which indicates 2734 in total.
However it is proposed that only around half of this is turned over at first, with the rest being left as a planted wild flower meadow until it is eventually required.
A small memorial garden is also proposed at the eastern edge of the site which will in turn be extensively landscape around its edges.
With only one matter raised over the location of a field drain in proximity to the edge of the site, the recommendation for planners is for approval.
