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Stone Circle
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Burial ground proposal angers local people
Native Woodland, a company from Edinburgh, want to develop a natural burial ground at Cothiemuir Hill - within 15 yards of the scheduled ancient monument. They have not yet received planning permission for the scheme, but it's provoked an backlash from local people, who are forming an action group. The company wants to offer "rights of burial" for ashes in plots laid out in concentric rings around the ancient site, and full interments in a dedicated grassland area to the east of the stone circle.
The campaign against the burial ground plan is being led by Jo Stover, of nearby Auchnagathle Farm. She said: "We are a close-knit community here and I think that is why people are quite appalled and really quite upset about what is being planned. This is a commercial development which just doesn't belong here. Local people are extremely alarmed and angry about what is being proposed. It has no sensitivity to the local area and the people here - quite the opposite. It would encourage the use of a remote graveyard by persons who have no connection to this area or to the people here."
She added: "The company claims the burial site will not physically damage the stone circle, but it will be changed for ever by this development."
The burial scheme is being backed by the local laird, Malcolm Forbes, the Master of Forbes, whose family has owned the estate incorporating the land surrounding the stone circle for about 600 years. Ian Walls, the director of Native Woodland, was unavailable for comment yesterday. His letter to Aberdeenshire Council, in support of the planning application, curiously states: "The main objective behind our proposals for the site is for the change of use to have as little impact on the landscape as is practically possible. We aim for the changes to be imperceptible."
summarised from the article at http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=370602005
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Posted by Rhiannon
22nd April 2005ce
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