New crematorium to offer greener alternative
Hereford’s new state-of-the-art crematorium in Westfaling Street has now been granted planning permission.
The new facility has been carefully designed to reduce its impact on the environment and the developers Thomas Vale Ltd have also been asked to include measures which will minimise the carbon footprint of the scheme and maximise the sustainability of the development.
One way suggested to achieve this is through the creation of a travel plan which promotes alternative sustainable means of transport for visitors and staff to the site.
A spokesman for Thomas Vale Ltd said: “We are delighted to have been given the go ahead to build the state-of-the-art crematorium and will now be working in close co-operation with Herefordshire Council to ensure the building is as environmentally friendly as possible.”
Other sustainable measures included in the plan are a dedicated area for green burials and the equipment to be installed has also been specially chosen to reduce the facility’s impact on the environment.
Green burials use a coffin made from biodegradable materials such as willow or cardboard and the extended cemetery will incorporate an area which will be kept as wild and natural as possible. Memorials and headstones are generally not permitted but often trees can be planted to mark the grave.
Cremators at the planned Westfaling Street facility, which will cost £3.1 million to build, will be the most up-to-date ones available to purchase at the present time and incorporate many features designed to reduce carbon emissions and energy usage.
Councillor John Jarvis, cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “I’m really pleased the new crematorium will not only provide a state-of-the-art facility for the county’s residents but will also be kind to the environment by reducing energy consumption and emissions. Thomas Vale are to be congratulated on the work they have done to ensure our new facility will be one of the best in the whole of the West Midlands.”
The new cremators will be fitted with around 66 per cent of the thermal burner input of cremators supplied some ten years ago and this, together with improved levels of thermal insulation, will greatly reduce the amount of fuel needed to operate them.
All equipment for the crematorium will also meet DEFRA guidelines on mercury filtration and the level of carbon monoxide emissions.
