HASLEMERE could have a green burial ground if a local man's plan for nearly four acres of land at the top of Bunch Lane gets the go-ahead.

Landscape gardener Robert Macqueen from Sturt Road bought the land three years ago.

The site is approached by a quarter-of-a-mile stone track leading from the top of Bunch Lane.

Mr Macqueen told The Herald this week that he had submitted a planning application to Waverley Borough Council for change of use for the present agricultural land to a burial site.

Mr Macqueen, who takes a great interest in the environment, said it was a "big decision.

"It is an idea I have had for a while and when I was fortunate enough to buy the parcel of land, it was not with the intention of putting a green burial site there, but to improve the habitat and remove the bracken."

With no land management on the plot for more then 40 years, Mr Macqueen believes that the income derived from the burial ground could be put into managing wildlife in the area.

"I am hoping that if it went ahead it wouldn't be controversial - we've all got to die and it could take the pressure off local authorities to find municipal sites," said Mr Macqueen.

"It is the choice of people like myself who choose to be buried with a tree rather than headstone."

In a covering letter with his application, Mr Macqueen said that the site, to be called Primrose Hill Nature Reserve Burial, was previously owned by a nurseryman.

With some of the land, which has stunning views across the valley, used for grazing, the parcel of land for the proposed burial ground was left to go wild and is now mainly covered in bracken with some naturally grown oak, birch, elder, and hazel.

"The land slopes to the east and is bordered by woodland to the north and east, and by a stone track to the west - which is also a public bridleway.

"To the south is Keffolds Farm, a residential property.

"It is my intention to remove the bracken and create different habitats for wildlife, such as hazel coppice for dormice, grassy glades for butterflies and pockets of natural woodland," said Mr Macqueen.

The burial ground would be as environmentally friendly as possible with no memorial stones and only wooden grave markers permitted.

Coffins would have to be cardboard, wicker, or bonafide sustainably sourced timbers and shrouds would have to be in natural fibres.

Only appropriate native trees and shrubs would be planted in areas destined for woodland and coppice.

The siting of the graves, which would be accurately recorded, would comply with guidelines of the Environment Agency.

Mr Macqueen envisages no more than 20 burials a year.

Access to the proposed burial ground would include a number of passing places to allow neighbours free passage along the bridleway, which is also used as a right-of-way to several properties.

A spokesman for Waverley Borough Council confirmed on Wednesday that a planning application for the burial ground had been submitted.

"We have received an application which will be put into the public domain and considered on its own merits."