The controversial dismantling of old headstones will continue at Sanquhar Cemetery after special planning consent was granted last week.
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s planning committee approved listed building consent, which allows for alterations to be made to headstones at the B-listed cemetery as part of a region-wide memorial safety programme.
This special planning permission is ‘partially retrospective’ – because nearly 200 of the Sanquhar headstones have already been dismantled and ‘socketed’ into the ground between 2019 and 2020 without relatives being properly notified.
