Proposals for a major refurbishment of Worcester Crematorium are set to be decided by planners next week.
Worcester City Council’s Planning Committee will consider the application for permission to install new electric cremators at the Astwood Road site and make a range of other improvements when it meets at the Guildhall at 4pm on Thursday 22 May.
A report to the committee recommends that the planning application is approved.
Anyone unable to attend the meeting in person can watch it live on YouTube
In addition to replacing the current three gas-powered cremators with two electric models, the plans include refurbishment of the chapel, a new roof including PV solar panels, installation of a heat recovery system, the inclusion of charging points for electric cars, and improvements to the grounds to boost biodiversity.
Councillor Lynn Denham, Leader of Worcester City Council, said: “This is a major project for Worcester.
“If planning permission is granted, is granted, the City Council will be able bring our crematorium up to modern environmental standards.
"This will mean a significant reduction in the Crematorium’s carbon footprint and improved facilities for people remembering and celebrating the lives of their loved ones.”
The key features of the proposed refurbishment of Astwood Crematorium are:
- Two new electric cremators installed to replace the current three gas-powered ones
- Refurbishment of the chapel
- A new chapel garden, with a Japanese theme
- An extension to the window area that looks out from the chapel to that garden, bringing in more natural light and making the new garden more of a focal point
- New furniture, fittings and equipment in the chapel
- Landscaping improvements to boost biodiversity at the Green Flag award-winning cemetery grounds, creating a net gain in biodiversity
- A heat recovery system, to make the building as energy-efficient as possible
- A new thermally-improved roof for the entire building
- Electric charging points in two parking bays
- PV solar panels on the new roof, to further improve the building’s efficiency
- Associated structural enabling work to support the installation of the new cremators.
The refurbishment project will receive a £1.49 million grant awarded through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. This supports energy-efficiency projects, and is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix.
Work on the proposed refurbishment is currently scheduled to start in August, and is due to last for around nine months.
The Crematorium building would be closed during that time, but the Cemetery grounds would remain open.
Arrangements are being developed to allow funeral services to continue to be held in Worcester while the refurbishment is carried out. More information about these will be announced in the near future.
The full report to the Planning Committee meeting can be read here
