Planning application for new crematorium outside Cramlington submitted

Crematoria Management, part of UK cremation and cemetery company Westerleigh Group, entered a planning application to build a new facility off Arcot Lane, near Arcot Hall Golf Club.

As well as the crematorium building, the plans include parking, landscaping, and memorial gardens.

The building itself will include a waiting area, a chapel, a vestry, an office, a floral tribute area, and the cremator itself.

According to planning documents, the facility is needed due to “existing and future population and death rate increases” and the company has received support for the project from local funeral directors during pre-application consultations.

Cramlington Town Council has supported the proposal, saying in its formal response to the application: “The town council is aware of local support for the proposal and accepts that identified needs are not met by existing facilities within the settlement boundary.

“Furthermore, it acknowledges the high standard of design proposed by the developer and accepts that the proposed use will not result in significant additional traffic generation, nor have a detrimental impact on surrounding properties or the wider environment.

“The proposal would also support the continued viability of the golf club.”

Ian McArdle, chief property officer at Westerleigh Group, said: “Research showed there is a need for additional crematoria capacity in the area.

“The new crematorium in Cramlington will meet that need, giving communities based to the north of Newcastle Upon Tyne, south Northumberland, and North Tyneside more choice and the chance to benefit from the exceptional levels of care that Westerleigh Group prides itself on providing.

“As with all Westerleigh Group’s facilities, the new crematorium will be sympathetically designed to blend into its surroundings and will be one of the most environmentally-friendly crematoria in the UK.

“Featuring the latest advanced filtration and abatement technology, including NOx abatement, it will make a significant contribution towards the offsetting of our carbon footprint.

“Local funeral directors gave overwhelming support for the new crematorium at recent public consultation events.”

Westerleigh Group currently oversees more than 70,000 funerals a year at its existing facilities.