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Angus crematorium appeal delayed after objectors highlight ‘serious’ flaws in planning report

Residents are fighting the plan for a new crematorium on farmland at Duntrune.
Residents are fighting the plan for a new crematorium on farmland at Duntrune.

An Angus farmer’s bid to reverse a refusal for a new crematorium on land north of Dundee has been delayed.

Guthrie Batchelor wants to build the facility on farmland near Duntrune House close to the border with the city.

But it’s been bitterly opposed by locals who have now forced Angus Council to hold off on making a final decision.

It came after they highlighted “serious discrepancies” in a near 3,500-page report due to be considered by councillors on Wednesday.

Guthrie Batchelor is the farmer behind plans for a new crematorium at Duntrune.
Guthrie Batchelor at the Duntrune site. Pic: Kim Cessford/DCT Media.

How has the bid reached this stage?

The family firm has farmed in Angus for eight generations but say they need to diversify.

And they believe a new crematorium will offer grieving families a greater choice than the current single Angus option of Parkgrove, near Friockheim, or Dundee.

But opponents mounted a vociferous campaign against the project, which they say is in the wrong location.

Duntrune crematorium plan
A design drawing of the planned crematorium.

In December 2021, Angus planners agreed with them when the F M & G Batchelor application was refused under delegated powers.

Officials said it breached local and national polices and was poorly served by transport links.

Mr Batchelor – who recently sold the famous Fleming butcher’s shop in Arbroath – appealed the knockback.

The reason behind the delay

Campaigners say there were several major errors in the report put before Angus development management review committee.

The DMRC considers appeals to planning refusals made under delegated powers by Angus officers.

Opponents say more than 100 valid objections were missed off the report to the committee.

And a handful have been listed as both objectors and supporters of the bid.

Lead objector Ian Robertson said: “The strength of local opposition to this proposal has continued throughout the appeal phase, with an online fundraiser to pay for further external consultant support reaching its target of £2,000 in just eight days.

“Valid further objections have been incorrectly excluded and invalid ones included.

“Angus Council should now review and clean up the data being presented to the DMRC to ensure it is correct.

“Otherwise they open themselves up to the possibility of legal action via a judicial review for erring in law,” said the retired management consultant.

What happens now?

No definite date for the next DMRC committee has been set, but the council follows a six-week meetings cycle.

However, committee convener Bill Duff warned both sides the appeal outcome could still be some way off.

“I’d like to apologise to all interested parties for the delay in what’s been a long process,” he said.

“I guess by way of explanation we had the hiatus caused by an election, we had a statutory meeting to populate the committees and this is a sub-committee of another committee.

“I’m sure this is the longest report I’ve seen in my 10 years as a councillor.

“Can I caution those with an interest in this case that we may not be able to come to a conclusion at our next meeting.

“Members may request additional information once the report has been corrected and finalised, so that’s just a slight warning to those with an interest.”

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