The refusal towards the end of 2008 by the Scottish Government to allow outline permission for a cemetery at Linlathen has meant that the City Council administration is anxious to investigate other options to ensure there is adequate supply of burial sites in the City in the future.
A report seeking authority to progress matters in terms at looking at costs/feasibility of a site north of the West Pitkerro Industrial Estate will come before the committee I chair (Planning and Transport) next Monday - and also before the Leisure, Arts and Communities Committee.
The Council has issued a news release on the matter today and I reproduce this below:
The cost and feasibility of creating a new cemetery for Dundee on land north of the West Pitkerro Industrial Estate could be investigated if councillors back the move next week.
A report seeking authority to progress matters in terms at looking at costs/feasibility of a site north of the West Pitkerro Industrial Estate will come before the committee I chair (Planning and Transport) next Monday - and also before the Leisure, Arts and Communities Committee.
The Council has issued a news release on the matter today and I reproduce this below:
The cost and feasibility of creating a new cemetery for Dundee on land north of the West Pitkerro Industrial Estate could be investigated if councillors back the move next week.
Members of the planning and transport and leisure, arts and communities committees will consider plans for the directors of both departments to jointly evaluate the pros and cons of the site.
Fraser Macpherson, convener of the planning and transport committee said: "The search for a location for a new cemetery has been given a new impetus after the Scottish Government refused outline permission for a cemetery at the Linlathen site to the east of the city late last year."
His colleague Richard McCready, who is convener of the leisure, arts and communities committee added: "From the work that has been done by the council so far, the site north of West Pitkerro Industrial Estate ticks the most boxes of the options that were looked at."
Dundee has enough burial provision for the next six years, with an extra 12,000 lairs in the extension to the Birkhill Cemetery expected to ease pressure from 2010.
But almost a dozen sites that could be used to create more burial plots for the city have already been judged against a set of seven assessment criteria including accessibility, land value and planning considerations.
The area which officers want permission to investigate further offers the full potential to meet the extra cemetery requirements for the city, as well as having no known problems with its physical condition.
Investigations so far have not found any ancient or historic sites at the locations, unlike the previous site to the east which was ruled out by the Scottish Government's reporter.
The report concludes that because of this and because the land at West Pitkerro Industrial Estate would be relatively straightforward to develop further, more detailed investigations should be carried out.
Councillors will decide whether to go ahead with the next stage on Monday (January 12).