There’s been much debate over the last few years about plans by the Ismaili Trust to create a funeral building on the edge of Farnham Park.

The scheme has come to attention again following an agreement between the Trust and Waverley Borough Council about the possible creation of a 20.9 acre ‘nature park’ close to the site off Hale Road.

So when we had a look at our archives from 30 years ago for this week’s Peeps, we were struck by a similar story.

Many people in Greatham and Liss were celebrating this week in 1996 as plans to build a crematorium next to the A3 Ham Barn junction were thrown out by East Hampshire District Council.

The London Cremation Company wanted to develop an area of agricultural land, south-west of the roundabout, despite a similar scheme by a rival firm being rejected earlier in the year.

In retrospect, the site did offer some benefits. Anyone in East Hampshire has to travel to Aldershot, Guildford or Havant for crematorium services today, with the site offering a central location and being easily accessible.

But unfortunately for the applicants, it was also in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – the South Downs National Park with its similar levels of protection was still more than a decade away – while the discovery of a colony of badgers was a further stumbling block.

“The badgers can’t be ignored as they are protected by law and nothing should be done on that site until a full report has been carried out,” said key campaigner and Liss Parish Council stalwart, Cllr Paddy Payne, part of the Villagers Against Crematoria (VAC) pressure group.

In the end, councillors voted 12-4 against the plan after an epic 165-minute debate. The applicants decided not to appeal, burying the proposal, once and for all.