The planning inspectorate gave its consent on the controversial ceremonial funeral pavilion and a surrounding woodland burial site in Farnham, designed by the former Stirling Prize winner, earlier this month (8 February).McLaughlins scheme for a single-storey wooden structure with a thatched roof had faced local opposition, mainly due to fears over increased traffic in the area and its potential environmental impact.The plans, which also feature landscaping, a footpath and associated parking, were refused by Waverley Borough Council in March last year before the Ismaili Trust, the charity behind the project, lodged an appeal.AdvertisementExplaining the decision to approve the scheme following the planning inquiry in December, inspector Gareth Wildgoose said the site would be of significant benefit to London and south-east Englands Ismaili community, which had run out of space at another cemetery.Wildgoose added that it was appropriate to provide dedicated and dignified spaces for the process of ghusal, funeral, burial and post-burial rituals in a single consolidated location a space for all the different aspects of an Ismaili burial.Waverley Borough Council had claimed the scheme went against Farnhams local plan. The local authoritys head of planning had said: The proposed building, due to its size and scale together with its ancillary infrastructure, would affect the openness of the site, thereby impacting on the character of the area.However, the planning inspectorate said the applications impact on the surrounding landscape would be only slight and moderate/minor, with the proposals specifically designed to provide a peaceful, reflective, enclosed landscape, drawing on positive characteristics of its surroundings.Opposition to the scheme had also centred on concerns over increased road traffic, which Wildgoose said had been based on evidence necessarily focused upon the worst-case scenario of large-scale funerals at the site.AdvertisementThe Ismaili Trust had also spelled out that the scheme was a ceremony pavilion, not a building for daily worship, and there will be no calls to prayer.McLaughlins design, which can accommodate 181 persons, is designed for an average funeral size of about 40 people.McLaughlin said: We are pleased that the inspectorate has granted planning permission on appeal for this important project.We have been working on it since we won a competition in 2021. The Ismaili Trust has an impressive commitment to high-quality architecture and landscape design.We look forward to continuing our work with the trust to create a special place at the heart of the community for many years to come.A timeline for completion of the scheme is unknown.Architects statementThe aim of the project is to create a dignified and beautiful woodland burial site, complete with a funeral pavilion, for the Ismaili community.Nestled deep within the site, the pavilion is to be located at the intersection of a new tree-lined access path and a clearing within a woodland. The woodland will emerge through extensive tree-planting, including broad-leaved and fast-growing native species.The proposed building has been designed to serve both practical and spiritual needs, facilitating the Ismaili funeral rites whilst respecting and enhancing the immediate natural landscape setting.The pavilion is envisioned as a single-storey barn structure flanked by two low, flat-roofed volumes. The central barn, which contains the main hall, features a glulam timber portal frame that supports a pitched, thatched roof. The roof extends over the entrance, creating a sheltered drop-off area for mourners.The south-western wing will accommodate spaces for funeral attendees, while the north-eastern wing will house areas for the care of the deceased and other support functions. Natural materials such as timber and thatch, combined with newly planted grasses, shrubs and trees, will help the pavilion blend seamlessly into its woodland setting.Nall McLaughlin, principal, Nall McLaughlin Architects