Councillors have backed plans for a major refurbishment of Worcester Crematorium, which will include the replacement of the current three gas cremators with two energy-efficient electric ones.
The City Council’s Policy and Resources Committee has agreed that a planning application for the scheme could be prepared and submitted, steps can be taken to appoint a main works contractor for the work and that £6.96 million can be allocated to the project.
Work is expected to start on site in summer 2025, and the grounds of Astwood Cemetery, where the Crematorium is based, will remain open throughout the construction period.
Councillor Lynn Denham, Leader of the City Council and Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee, said: “This will be a major upgrade for a service which we know Worcester people value and care deeply about.
“Once this refurbishment is completed, Worcester Crematorium will become an even more welcoming place that provides the appropriate atmosphere for people to remember and celebrate the lives of their loved ones.
“Importantly, the electric cremators will also bring about greater energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions, ensuring we meet the new national regulatory standards on pollution emissions.
“We are developing plans for temporary arrangements so that funeral services can continue to be held in Worcester while the renovations are carried out, and we will ensure that the cemetery grounds remain open throughout the construction period, so that people can continue to visit and remember their loved ones.”
The City Council carried out a public consultation on the refurbishment earlier this year, and many of the measures that received strong support from residents and stakeholders have been in included in the upcoming works.
Alongside the replacement of the cremators, the refurbishment programme will include:
- Refurbishment of the chapel
- An extension to the window area that looks out from the chapel to the serenity garden, making the latter visible from more of the building interior
- New furniture, fittings and equipment in the chapel and other areas of the building
- Electric charging points in two parking bays
- Landscaping improvements to boost biodiversity at the Green Flag award-winning cemetery grounds.
- A heat recovery system, to re-use energy from the new cremators to warm the building
- A new roof for the entire building
- Associated structural enabling work.
The new cremators are thought to be the first electric models to be installed in the West Midlands area and will be cheaper to run than the existing gas ones.
New solar panels may also be installed on the building’s roof, subject to engineering input and analysis
The project is set to receive a £1.5 million grant from Salix, which supports energy-efficiency schemes with Government funds. The cost to the City Council will be £5.4 million.
The revamped Crematorium building is expected to open in late spring 2026.
