plymouth’s new crematorium project

In a quiet corner of countryside on the outskirts of Britain’s Ocean City, Plymouth's brand-new crematorium is beginning to take shape.

Years in the planning, the Plymouth City Council-backed £29 million project is set in 17 acres of Devon's finest greenery, with gently sloping hills and south facing views over nearby woodlands and Saltram Park.

Designs for the scheme, produced by local architects Stride Treglown and Aecom, have been developed with insights from the public and the funeral industry, after an extensive consultation exercise over the last few years.

The new facility will include three non-denomination ceremony spaces with flexible seating, waiting areas, offices, a new crematory and three new cremators with the latest environmental protection equipment.

Inspired by the picturesque countryside, the buildings will nestle into the slope of the site and will be surrounded by pooled water. Plymouth limestone is being used with windows that provide light and stunning views out over the water, and the local Devonshire scenery and beyond.

Inside, light and open ceremony spaces are in keeping with the desire to provide a modern quality facility. Outside, reflective spaces, designed for memorialisation and scatterings will embrace the local environment and ecology.

In order to deliver the project, a multi-disciplined project board is being headed up by Dr Ruth Harrell, director of public health for Plymouth.

"The last time the council designed a new crematorium was in the early 1960s," explains Ruth. "So while our current facilities have certainly served the city well, it's time for a change. “We know how important the day of the funeral can be in supporting people who have been bereaved. Our need to replace our aging cremators gave us the opportunity to look afresh at what people might need to support them on that day, and into the future, as they move through the grieving process.”

Part of these plans is the inclusion of an on-site café, which will be open to serve refreshments for people attending funerals and also for those visiting the site to pay their respects. It will also be available for families to hire for wakes.

Karen Jennings has been Plymouth city council's head of bereavement services for over 20 years.

"I'm so pleased that we've been able to include the café and wake facility in the designs," said Karen. “As well as managing funerals of different kinds for many years, and watching the way a funeral service has evolved over these years I've also been to a fair few myself. People often come from far and wide, they stay around outside, they want to catch up before and sometimes after, and they've got nowhere to go. By having this facility on site, but slightly away from the main crematorium, we'll be able to make what can be pretty tough days that little bit easier for people."

When the new crematorium is finished, it will replace the existing, aging facilities at Efford and Weston Mill.

Karen added: "While looking to the future and our new facility, we also have to respect our past and in particular, the traditions of families in Plymouth.

"Generations of families will have said their final goodbyes at Efford and Weston Mill, and it's important that we acknowledge that and ensure that for those who want to, the sites remain open for burials and memorials.”

Contractors Kier Group were appointed as main contractors on the project earlier this year and as part of the deal, are ensuring that 85% of SME sub-contractors come from the surrounding postcode and will work with local education establishments to provide a series of placements.

The new crematorium is scheduled to open in 2024.

Jasmine McNicholas Communications and Campaigns Officer