Proposal for burial site on rural land sparks row

PLAN FOR MUSLIM BURIALS ON CALLINGTON FARMLAND

A PLANNING row has broken out over proposals for a 9,000-plot Muslim burial site on rural farmland in Callington, Cornwall.

The Gardens of Mercy charity wants to convert 10 acres of grazing land into a cemetery for use by the Islamic community across the South West, but the application has met with dozens of objections, with some locals saying it is ‘inappropriate’ in such a rural area.

Fears have been expressed about the increased traffic, flood risk, loss of agricultural land and that the area could become a ‘regional’ site for Muslim burials.

The application to change use of the agricultural grazing land in Callington to a green burial ground has also attracted letters of support with members of the Muslim community expressing the need for such a site.