Works will be carried out on a north-east cemetery in the summer to help cater for additional burials.
Aberdeenshire Council is planning to create around 900 burial spaces at Arbuthnott Church cemetery in July this year.
The works are due to take place for six weeks and will be carried out in two phases.
It is expected the expansion might cost up to £160,000.
Creating room for ‘more meaningful’ burial spaces
The expansion will create space for an additional 275 full lairs, which allow for the burial of three coffins and six caskets of cremated ashes and another 30 casket lairs.
A spokesman from Aberdeenshire Council said: “We can confirm that phase one of the new extension to Arbuthnott Cemetery will see the creation of 75 full lairs and 30 casket lairs, with a further 200 full lairs in phase two.
“Our contractor anticipates starting work in early July and expects to be completed within around six weeks.”
Minister Andrew Morrison at ABK Church, which holds services on a Sunday at Arbuthnott Church, said there has been a “known shortage” for a few years.
The graveyard attached to the church is a public cemetery where anyone can choose to be buried.
Ministering at the church since 2019, Mr Morrison said it was important for a lot of people to be buried in their community.
He said: “Rather than being buried in a big graveyard miles away, it is more meaningful for people in the community who are wanting to be buried in the community to be buried where they live.”
He added that for many residents, it was where their family and friends were buried so it was important for them to be buried with them.
The works are set to begin at the beginning of July and are expected to take six weeks.