Councillors will decide next week over a charity’s plans for a St Ninians graveyard, which objectors from a local church have deemed “disrespectful”.
Stirling 4 Community (S4C) charitable community group’s application for a partial change of use of the graveyard to a memorial garden behind St Ninians Old Parish Church in Kirk Wynd is due to come before Stirling Council’s planning panel on Tuesday.
The plans also include repairs to gatepost and fencing and erection of storage on the land, which was a cemetery for past residents of the old William Simpsons Asylum, established in 1836.
S4C announced last year they had joined forces with Plean-based William Simpsons Care Home for the special project to mark the designated interment area to honour those buried there.
However, a number of elders and members of the St Ninians Old Parish Church congregation are among those objecting to the application, along with its minister, the Rev Gary McIntyre.
Council planning officials are recommending conditional approval of the application, which has generated 17 letters of objection and one of comment.
The objectors have cited concerns over visual impact, parking impact on those using the church, and that the use of the graveyard for community use is “disrespectful”.
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However, council planners say “whether the change of use is a moral or respectful use of the land is not a question that the Planning Authority can decide and it is not a material planning consideration in deciding the planning application”.
They added: “The area of hardstanding between St Ninians Parish Church and the site has unrestricted parking.
“There is no indication that there will be any excessive noise generated as a result of using the area as a garden.
“Wooden pallets stacked on the site is not relevant to the decision as there is no proposed increase of storing pallets on the land and any increase to the detriment of the amenity of the land would be subject to a separate planning control.”
A storage container no longer features in the plans and has been replaced by a timber shed.
“Subject to a condition to achieve a programme of archaeological works, it is considered the proposal complies with policy.
“It is not considered it will raise any issues with regard to the setting of the Listed structures.”
In his submission to council planners, Rev McIntyre echoed the thoughts of some of his parishioners saying he felt the proposals were “disrespectful” to the 70 bodies interred on the ground.
Rev McIntyre added: “I am not opposed to community events in any form but there is other ground available in the St Ninians area which is much more suitable for such purposes.
“It is still a graveyard albeit one that is no longer used. It continues to be consecrated ground.”
In a response to queries from council planners, agents for S4C have said their clients were “somewhat taken aback and saddened” at the objections.
They added: “The ground is to be used as a modest memorial garden. Previously the graves were unmarked and the area overrun with brambles, weeds and excrement (it being used as a local dog exercise area).
“The Church took no care of the consecrated site and the graves were untended and the lair names not identified. The only maintenance was the council cutting the grass in recent years.
“Stirling4Community are now tending the ground (with the support of the owner the William Simpsons Care Home) and giving a real community purpose. It not only keeps it in good order but also respects the graves of those buried there.
“The memorial notice board will list the names of everyone buried there.”
