Angus councillors have further delayed deciding whether to approve plans for construction of a crematorium on farmland north of Dundee.
After months of stalled decision-making following hundreds of objections from local residents, a final decision on the plans was anticipated Tuesday.
But members of Angus Council’s development management review committee (DMRC) decided that site visits are now necessary before reaching a resolution.
Plans for the facility were first submitted to council planners by local businessman, Guthrie Batchelor, nearly two years ago.
Mr Batchelor, director of family farming firm, FM & G Batchelor, wants to build the facility, including a car park and memorial garden, on nearly two hectares of farmland east of Duntrune House, near Murroes.
‘Unaccompanied visit required’
Councillors at the online meeting were given a review of the site including photos and maps, given by Nicola Hay of the council planning team.
Committee Convener, Bill Duff, SNP councillor for Montrose and District then said: “The question I have for elected members now is do they have information to determine the case?”
David Fairweather, former council leader and Independent member for Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim said: “Regarding the simple fact that there are so many objections…I think it would be well worthwhile (the) committee seeing it for themselves.”
All other members agreed.
Summing up, Bill Duff said: “I agree with my five colleagues. I feel that an unaccompanied site visit is definitely required here.
“I think we have a huge number of objections. Many of those focus on the roads, and while we’ve seen the slides this afternoon, I think there is no substitute for actually looking at that on site.
“What that means is we will be accompanied by officers, but we won’t meet either applicant or objectors…and I think the site visit would allow us to see the road layout and the various junctions, I would think, in detail.”
Developer says new crematorium needed
Mr Batchelor says there is a need for another crematorium in Angus. Currently there is only one, located outside Friockhem near Arbroath; the other closest is in Dundee.
The proposed site is approximately three miles north of the city.
In January, Angus Council concluded that the plans for the Duntrune site breached local, regional and national planning policies.
Local residents say the site is unsuitable because rural roads that lead there will not be able to cope with increased traffic. Moreover, they highlighted “serious discrepancies” in a lengthy report for the council.
Collectively, the objectors have spent £3,500 on fees and publicity opposing the plans.
They also say, the existing two crematoria are enough for the district.
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