By Brian Allison, local government reporter

A PREFERRED site for a new cemetery to serve Dundee has been identified by council officials.

After an assessment of 11 different possible locations an area of land to the north of the West Pitkerro Industrial Estate has emerged as the best option.

Dundee has sufficient burial provision for the next six years, with an extra 12,000 lairs in an extension to Birkhill cemetery expected to ease pressure from 2010, but beyond that a new cemetery will be required.

Councillor 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 east of the city late last year.”

Leisure, arts and communities committee convener Richard McCready said the West Pitkerro site “ticks the most boxes of the options that were looked at.”

Councillors on both committees will be asked next week to authorise the preparation of a feasibility study and cost estimates for the creation of a new cemetery at West Pitkerro.

Among the other sites considered by officers were Monymusk Park, Fintry Park, an extension to Eastern Cemetery, two sites on Arbroath Road, Middleton Farm, Caird Park and Gillies Park in Barnhill.

All were assessed against a list of criteria including accessibility, capacity (able to last for 25 years or more), presence of national monuments or historic buildings, contaminated land status and operational feasibility.

West Pitkerro was identified as an extensive site offering the potential to meet additional cemetery capacity requirements.

Investigations did not reveal any ancient or historic sites and there are no known problems with site conditions. The one drawback is that public transport access to the area is relatively poor. If committee approval is given, it is intended to carry out detailed site investigation work.