Cemetery plans to be aired at PKC

Aug 31 2010 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A PROJECT designed to increase the capacity of an east Perthshire burial ground will go before councillors tomorrow.

Perth and Kinross Council’s environment committee will meet to consider a proposed extension on land adjacent to the existing Alyth cemetery, to include 550 coffin and 96 casket lairs.

A recently-released report complied by Jim Valentine – the depute director for the local authority’s environment department – reveals only 30 of the existing plots in the current cemetery are unoccupied, and these could be filled in five years.

Elected members will also be asked to rubber-stamp 15 parking spaces “to ensure that blockage of the main driveway does not occur when services are being held in the new extension”, according to Mr Valentine’s report.

If given the go-ahead, the development will be carried-out in three stages, with the first phase – including construction of the parking – to be completed in six weeks.

Mr Valentine writes the move will “accommodate the burial requirements of this area for over a century”.

He also insists that “disruption to visitors will be kept to a minimum while work is underway”, with machines to stop during burial services in the main cemetery.

Planning permission for the extension, to be built on former farm land now owned by the council, was granted in December 2009.

Elected members will be asked to agree a contract for the work be tendered, and also sanction ongoing maintenance of the extension as part of the existing care for the cemetery.

Convener Alan Grant said: “Providing burial services to local communities is part of the council’s day-to-day work.

“I’m pleased that the first phase of work planned will not only increase the number of burial plots but also enhance car parking facilities.”