West Dunbartonshire Council has approved plans to create a new Dumbarton ceremony, as well as carry out a series of upgrade works on three others.

The new cemetery will be developed at Garshake Road, while the improvements will be made to Vale of Leven, North Dalnottar and Kilmaronock cemeteries.

The current Dumbarton Cemetery only has sufficient burial space for the next two years, but the new facility – which will have more than 600 lairs and two memorial gardens, will provide graves for the next 30 years.

Planning permission for the project has already been approved and will also incorporate additional car parking spaces, a non-slip footpath and a handrail. It has also been proposed to improve pathways and drainage at the existing Dumbarton Cemetery, while the Vale of Leven and Kilmaronock cemeteries are to be extended to ensure they can continue to meet the needs of the community. Land has been identified in Alexandria to allow for the Vale Cemetery expansion and a field has been purchased next to Kilmaronock Cemetery which will be developed. Furthermore, at North Dalnottar, only part of the land is currently being used and the Council is expected to carry out infrastructure work on the remainder of the site to ensure future burial provision.

-- Advertisement --

The local authority has said it will now appoint a contractor for the scheme.

Dumbarton Cemetery is due to open next year, with the other three completed over the next two years. In total, the Council is investing £2.5m in the developments.

Commenting, Councillor David McBride, Convener of Environmental Services, said: "West Dunbartonshire Council has been working on this project over a number of years and this location was chosen to ensure that the new cemetery is close to the people it services. This was an important and sensitive project for us and we were delighted that the community fully supported the proposal."

(JP/IT)