Plans to create Fife’s first woodland burial site have been given a cash boost by the Scottish Land Fund.
Kinghorn Community Land Association was awarded £103,390 towards the project and other improvements including a community orchard.
As well as addressing an urgent need for more burial space for nearby communities, the project aims to provide an alternative to a traditional cemetery for people of all faiths.
The land earmarked as a potential burial ground is to the east of Kinghorn Loch, which is just east of the site the Ecology Centre is hoping to build new premises on.
Richard Brewster, who chairs Kinghorn Community Land Association, said: “It’s part of the mid Fife local plan. It’s the intention of Fife Council to develop a woodland cemetery, but the council hasn’t had the resources to take it forward. By bringing it into community ownership, we will be able to access funding that the council would not have been able to get.”
Ground investigations have yet to be carried out and the association will be seeking the views of local residents before finalising the plans.
It is expected the woodland burial ground will take around two years to complete.
The association hopes to work in partnership with the Ecology Centre, which will help manage tree planting and other environmental improvements.
The Ecology Centre, which has submitted a planning application for premises on the shore of the loch, was awarded a Scottish Land Fund grant of £54,901 towards the purchase of the proposed site.
Mr Brewster added: “This grant means so much to the community of Kinghorn and people who frequent Kinghorn Loch.
“Not only will we be able to secure land to safeguard the future of the Ecology Centre, we can also take forward plans to establish a multi faith community woodland cemetery and community orchard.
“Kinghorn Loch is an area of great natural beauty and attracting visitors from far and wide, but some of the adjacent land has been left derelict for the last 10 years. This funding can help the process of regeneration and puts decisions on how land is managed back into the hands of the community.”
Fife Council bereavement services manager Liz Murphy said Kinghorn Cemetery was almost at capacity.
She added: “We will be putting a report to local area committees over the coming months regarding what strategy the council may need to consider for future provision of cemeteries throughout Fife. There are many pressures which may affect the development of new cemetery sites.”
If given the go-ahead, the new premises would secure the Ecology Centre’s future, with its current lease at Craigencalt Farm set to run out later this year.
Centre manager Julie Samuel said: “The Ecology Centre has been battling for many, many years to secure a permanent site. This is therefore extremely exciting news for our staff, our volunteers and our community. Buying the land will enable us to secure jobs, help more young people into work, deliver environmental education and offer volunteer opportunities. The grant will make a significant difference.”
Across Scotland, the Scottish Land Fund recently awarded £927,693 to nine projects.
The fund’s committee chairman John Watt said: “I am delighted to see the people of Kinghorn, Fife, working together to take control of their own future.
“Both projects are excellent examples of communities using the resources available through the Scottish Land Fund to meet their own particular priorities and I wish them every success with their plans going forward.”