Proposals for a new crematorium to serve West Cheshire and South Wirral.
A local, family-run service
Elegy believe that bereaved families of this area should have a crematorium of their own to meet today’s expectations, easily accessible and free from the congestion and pressures that blight existing crematoria.
"We want to create a beautiful place, sympathetically designed within natural surroundings, able to offer somewhere peaceful and personal for each individual funeral."
Unrivalled experience
We have been working on this this mission for over two decades and our Managing Director, Richard Evans, has unrivalled experience in providing high quality, sensitively designed new crematoria for communities across the country as well as real unrivalled knowledge of this area; born and raised nearby, and a pupil of Helsby school.
We have been persistent as we know that there is no place in the country which is in more need for a modern, local alternative to relieve pressure on the crematoria at Landican and Blacon.
An independent Family run service
Richard has continued to search for the right site alongside his brother James who also worked on the original scheme at Waterworks Lane. Together they believe that this is the right time and the right spot to finally provide a local, accessible crematorium capable of holding dignified funerals. They are also committed to running an independent, local service free of the pressures of Private Equity Investment. Fees will remain fair and all local Funeral Directors, big and small, will have a genuine influence. This will be one of a kind rather than one of a group.
"We offer a new & more enlightened way to remember and celebrate a person’s life"
We believe that there is no greater need for a crematorium in this country.
Landican is one of the busiest crematorium in the country holding just over 3000 cremations a year in a cemetery complex designed almost a century ago. Blacon is a modern facility but is also operating beyond its capacity with an average of over 1700 cremations plus burial services held in its single chapel each year.
These pressures will only grow over the next 20 years as the numbers of deaths rise, forecast by the ONS to be over 30% for west Cheshire and @15% for the Wirral due to the aging populations.
“A new crematorium would finally allow families to have a local, less busy choice of their own with a minimum of an hour allowed for each service. Overall, the new service is expected to look after @1250 cremations a year, 4-5 per day on average, providing a much quieter and peaceful setting.”
20 year site search
Since the last appeal, we have continued to look for sites beyond Hooton, especially on brownfield land, but none were ultimately suitable and able to match the advantages of Waterworks Lane.
The field is self-contained with mature boundaries on all sides, offering only limited views in and providing a secluded, private setting for funerals.
The existing junction with Hooton Road, providing access to the station, would readily cope with the extra traffic and it is difficult to imagine a more sustainable location, a key issue highlighted by the inspector in her recent decision.
Environment
We would use the very best available filtration technology and be one of the first crematoria to fit NOx (nitrous oxide) abatement to ensure that our service would be “clean to air”. Heat from the cremation process will also be used to warm the building. Ultimately the new service will be carbon neutral.
The emphasis of our plans is to enhance the natural surrounds in order to create a beautiful natural setting for funerals, blessed with extra trees, plants, wildflower meadows and hedgerow. Just a small proportion of the site is planned to be developed with the rest left as a green landscape to ensure that it is a place of peace and remembrance, free of the pressure and congestion of historic crematoria. It will also lead to a bio-diversity net gain of @60% offering an abundance of rich habitat to local wildlife.
Design
Our proposals are for a sensitive, sympathetic design of a smaller scale than the one put forward by Horizon. It is single storey in size and designed to match the local character with the use of red brick alongside handmade plain tiles and timber cladding. This should help it sit comfortably in the existing landscape and be respectful of its position within the countryside.
More details can be seen on the accompanying leaflet and plans.
Access and Highways
Almost all funerals take place in the middle of the day, outside of peak traffic with typically @average of 20 cars attending each funeral, resulting in an average of 80-100 cars visiting the site each day.
The existing junction already copes with much greater volumes at peak times with people using the car park. The existing footpath will also be extended into our access to provide a pedestrian link for any mourners using the train or bus services.
Your comments are important
A public exhibition will be held on Wednesday 17th June from 12.00 - 7.30 pm at The Woodcote Hotel, Hooton Road.
Please come along to see our proposals in more detail, ask any questions, and let us know your thoughts.
You can also submit them using the form opposite on this website.