Funeral directors support plan for new Congleton Crematorium
Eleven local firms of funeral directors have thrown their weight behind plans to develop a new crematorium near Congleton. The plans to establish a crematorium service at Brereton were submitted last week, following an extensive consultation process with local residents.
If the plans are accepted, bereaved families would no longer have to travel to Macclesfield Crematorium or further afield to Bradwell (Newcastle-under-Lyme), Crewe, Stoke or Northwich. This usually means a journey of over 30 minutes for a funeral cortege, an excessive amount of time when compared to elsewhere in the country, adding further distress and anxiety at the most difficult of times. Residents in Biddulph and surrounding towns are similarly poorly served.
Crematorium developer Elegy held a public exhibition in May this year and found strong support from those who attended. Alongside the eleven local funeral directors who have written in support of the application, local clergy and celebrants are also backing the plans.
Elegy says the crematorium would provide a less hurried, more local option. Both Macclesfield and Crewe crematoria were converted from Victorian burial chapels in the 1950s and are tired and outdated, unable to meet modern expectations. The facility at Macclesfield is busy, holding on average 7 to 8 funerals per day, and is often described as conveyor belt experience. Its antiquated layout, which was never designed for cremation services, adds to the congestion and overlap of funerals.
Alan Finneron, an independent Funeral Director based in Congleton, confirmed his support for the proposals in a letter to Elegy: “I have worked in the funeral directing profession in the Congleton area for the past 35 years and believe that this is a much-needed facility and will significantly improve the welfare of bereaved families.” The sentiment was echoed by another Congleton firm of funeral directors: “You have the full support of the team at Larvin and Clegg”.
Three Shires Funeral Directors, Co-op Funeralcare and John Garside & Son have also expressed their support for the new crematorium. Funeral directors from Alsager, Sandbach, Holmes Chapel, Biddulph and Macclesfield agreed, all confirming their support to planning officers of Cheshire East for the provision of a new service.
Local clergy were similarly eager to back the plans. Reverend Ian Enticott, Rector of All Saints Church, Congleton wrote, “there is a great need for a modern facility close by the town”, while Stephen Hodgkinson, MBE, leader of New Life Church said the crematorium would be “a much needed facility for the people of Congleton ”.
The developer has been working on improving its proposals following the consultation, with a cycle path added to the active travel opportunities along with the provision of new bus stops at the entrance. A sustainability assessment has confirmed that the crematorium’s emissions will be net zero from the first year of operation with an estimated added benefit of a saving of 70 Tonnes Co2 each year by road users no longer having to travel to a crematorium further away.
The new crematorium would be sited in a secluded spot off the A534. The chapel would seat 100 people and hold just four funerals per day, enabling better spacing between funeral services and a less rushed funeral experience for families than at present. A minimum of an hour will be allowed for each service. State-of-the-art facilities will enable each family to have a funeral of their choice, free from the pressure of others.