Petition PE509 is from Mr Russell Craig and is on planning procedures. The petitioner is calling for the Parliament to take the necessary steps to change planning procedures and review the legislation affecting certain types of development such as crematoria. The petition has been prompted by the petitioner's experiences of the planning process regarding an application by the crematorium company for the erection of a crematorium car park, gardens of remembrance and off-site roadworks at land at Greenhall Estate in Blantyre.South Lanarkshire Council held a hearing on the application and is going ahead with the development of the crematorium. The application has now been referred to Scottish ministers for scrutiny on the basis that the proposed development does not accord with the development plan and that the council has a financial interest in the development. The council has confirmed that all letters of objection are to be forwarded to the Executive for consideration of the council's decision.The petitioners have submitted correspondence, minutes of South Lanarkshire Council's planning committee and various objection letters, together with some articles on the environmental impact of the crematorium. Those items are available to committee members.In a response to a parliamentary question, Margaret Curran confirmed that the Executive has no current plans for a review of or revisions to the planning criteria for crematoria by amending the Cremation Act 1902 or by any other means.The committee is unable to intervene or interfere with the individual planning applications that prompted the petition. The application is being dealt with through the established planning process. Ministers will have the opportunity to scrutinise South Lanarkshire Council's decision to grant the application.However, it is suggested that it would be appropriate to copy the petition to the Executive and ask it to ensure that the petitioner's concerns are taken into account as part of that process. The Executive has recently announced that it has no plans to review the planning criteria for crematoria and it is therefore further suggested that we ask the Executive to provide full details of the reasoning behind that position. We would then be able to get back to the petitioners.
Official Report · Committee
New Petitions
Planning Legislation (PE509)
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- John McAllion Lab 5
- Dr Winnie Ewing SNP 3
- Helen Eadie Lab 1
The record
9 contributionsAs a former MP for Blantyre, I have been lobbied extensively about the matter, although it is no longer in my area. The petitioners dispute all the points that South Lanarkshire Council has made. We cannot intervene, as the convener has said. However, there are few public parks in Blantyre, which is a pretty depressed area. The development intends to take away part of a public park. There must be legislation that protects the public park. Could we put that into any letter that we write to the Executive? There is a real shortage of space in Blantyre. South Lanarkshire Council says that the remaining land would continue as it is, but the park is very valuable and much used. The issue is very sad.
When we write to the Executive about its position on not reforming the Cremation Act 1902, we could ask it to state its position on legislation protecting public parks.
There is legislation to protect public parks.
Is there any way in which the petitioners could get access to some legal right to challenge what is going on?
The petitioner disputes that there is a need for the crematorium. He bases his argument on statistics. There are two crematoria already. The petitioner also states that the development would affect residential properties. That has all been said already. However, we might consider the public parks aspect.
Yes, we can ask for that information.
The notes that the clerks prepared mention the environmental impact of crematoria. Did anything in the documentation that we received raise specific health concerns? I am not aware of anything, but I wondered whether there might be something in that.
A lot of the advice touched on the health aspect. That advice is available to any member who wants to see it. Of course, we can see it before we get a response back from the Executive. Is the proposed course of action agreed to?Members indicated agreement.
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