A GREEN burial ground where owner and pet can rest in lasting togetherness is part of an ecological plan for Skipton.

An application from Tarn Moor Estate to change the use of agricultural land between Brackenley Lane and the Craven Heifer public house, to provide a woodland burial site has been lodged with Craven District Council.

The scheme has received the blessing of Skipton Town Council's planning committee.

If approved, the site, which covers approximately 11 acres, will have both consecrated and non-consecrated ground.

Committee members of Skipton Town Council, a trustee of the charity, said there was a suggestion that part of the area could be used to provide a cemetery for pets, and even the opportunity for the deceased to be buried with their pet, if appropriate.

Roger France, of Craven District Council's planning department, said creating burial sites for pets was slightly different in that the developer would have to apply for a special licence beforehand.

The application site is located on land east of Grassington Road and the plan suggests providing car parking for around 35 cars with benched sitting areas and pathways through a woodland, which will be created as the site is being used.

The site already has some planting and hedgerows which the council was concerned may be damaged when access work began.

There was also a concern about limestone being used to create the car parking area, pathways and lane.

Coun Betty Campbell said: "This site can be seen from a lot of places round about such as Crook Rise and Embsay Crag. I feel the whiteness of the limestone will be very easily seen and will be detrimental to the area."

They suggested an overdressing with a darker coloured stone be used to enable the surface to blend in better. They also suggested the car park be screened with planting.

Michael Rhodes, of Dacre, Son and Hartley, agents for the Tarn Moor Estate, said the charity's concept for the application was to be able to continue to benefit the people of Skipton.

"Although people from outside the area will be able to 'book' a plot, they will be charged more so local people will benefit," he said.

He added that the area would also be ploughed and reseeded using specific grasses and wildflower seeds. "There has been a lot of discussion in the past about the lack of space in churchyards and green burial sites offer another alternative," said Mr Rhodes.

He said the idea of a green burial site was not new - there are around 130 across the country including Brocklands at Rathmell - but the concept was growing in popularity and he believed there were already several people who have 'provisionally' put their names forward.

The plans are due to be brought before the district council on August 19.