Crematoria project update

Bradford Council’s Bereavement Strategy has been implemented to upgrade and enhance our existing service and facilities.

Around 3,000 cremations each year are currently carried out at three crematoria managed by Bradford Council.

The district’s existing six cremators, three at Scholemoor, two at Nab Wood and one at Oakworth, are almost two decades old and operating seven to eight years beyond the manufacturer’s stated working life.

This has led to breakdowns and rising maintenance costs due to their age and the increasing cost of replacement parts.

The existing cremators do not filter mercury emissions, which is bad for the environment and costs Bradford Council approximately £90,000-a-year to buy emission credits.

The existing sites at Scholemoor and Nab Wood are not large enough to accommodate the new state-of-the-art crematoria, with associated facilities such as seating, car parking, security and landscaping.

The cost of the whole Bereavement Strategy, including the new crematoria, the refurbishment of Oakworth Crematorium and the extension of the Muslim burial ground at Scholemoor is estimated to be around £24 million.

The new crematorium to replace the existing one at Scholemoor, is planned for land near Shetcliffe Lane, Bierley.

The new crematorium to replace the one at Nab Wood is planned for land off Long Lane, Heaton.

The new crematoria will operate to national standards of emissions including the removal of mercury and nitrogen oxide pollutants to make them as environmentally friendly as possible.

Landscaping will be major part of the schemes, screening views of the building and car park from outside the sites as well as helping to create a pleasant and peaceful environment within, both for those attending funerals and visitors returning later to remember relatives and friends cremated there.

We are hoping to have the whole strategy in place by the end of 2022.