A RAMSBOTTOM graveyard is to be fenced off to the public.

The controversial step has been taken by local businessman Mr Kevin Skillin, who this week apologised to bereaved relatives for cordoning off the cemetery in the grounds of Park Chapel.

Mr Skillin, who is originally from Ramsbottom and now lives in Helmshore, told the Bury Times: "I am very upset and sorry at having to take this decision. But the graveyard is in such a dangerous state with unstable headstones and an unsafe pathway, someone could be seriously injured."

The fence along the Manchester Road site which houses graves as recent as 2000, will go up next week.

But Mr Skillin stressed that there would be someone on the site between 11am and 12 noon on Saturdays and Sundays to collect flowers from relatives and put them on the graves or in the Garden of Rembrance.

The father-of-two, who is a property consultant with Whitefield-based Imperial Consultants, bought the site privately last year with the intention of converting the former United Reformed Church in to luxury apartments. Plans had also been drawn up to repair unstable and toppled gravestones and to spruce up the cemetery. Mr Skillin had made arrangements, with the agreement of relatives, to relocate the Garden of Remembrance when it came to light that ashes were buried underneath. A small memorial chapel would be built nearby to house marble plaques rescued from the church.

However, plans had to be changed at the last minute when subsidence was discovered on the church building. Mr Skillin said the repair of the building would cost tens of thousands of pounds, throwing into doubt plans for the memorial garden and graveyard. But he was advised that there was potential of an "infill development" of two detached properties on the green belt land, because the site is surrounded by properties.

Mr Skillin explained: "This would cover the cost of repairs and allow plans for the graveyard and the memorial garden to go ahead."

However, the plans were rejected by Bury Council's planning control committee when it met last week. Planning officers who, although agreeing that the chapel could be converted in principle, dismissed the infill argument and ruled the that "erection of the two detached houses is inappropriate development in the green belt". They added that the site was too small to accommodate the houses.

Mr Skillin is now in the process of appealing the decision, but said that until a ruling has been made the graveyard will have to stay closed to the public.

"I am optimistic the plans will be approved because I feel I have a very strong case that the land is in prime infill site."

"But until then I would ask the public not to go on the site. I have kept the site open as long as I have because I promised the people of Ramsbottom that they would have free access to the graveyard. I went against the advice of my lawyer and have as a result been living on a knife edge, hoping that work would start as soon as possible," said Mr Skillin.

He added: "I stand to lose everything if someone is injured. This is the very last thing I wanted to do. But until I know where I stand I have no choice, and for this I apologise," said Mr Skillin.