DETAILS of a proposed new crematorium in the South of Bradford have been revealed.

The planned facility, off Shetcliffe Lane in Bierley, would replace the crematorium at Scholemoor - which Bradford Council says is operating beyond its expected working life.

The Greenbelt site was announced as the preferred location for the new crematorium late last year - lifting concerns that Littlemoor Park in Queensbury may be chosen for the development.

And now a planning application for the 9.9 hectare site has been submitted - and offer glimpses of what the new crematorium will look like.

The proposals are part of a major shake-up of Bradford's bereavement services, which will also see Oakworth Crematorium being demolished and a new, more modern facility built in its place, and Nab Wood Crematorium being replaced with a facility in Heaton.

Bradford Council says the changes are needed to meet modern emissions standards for crematoria - which require larger ovens and emission abatement equipment.

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Rising obesity levels across the UK also require crematoria to have wider cremation ovens.

The planning application says: "The existing facilities within the District are inadequate for the increasing requirement for larger, wider coffins and there is a need to update to modern cremators.

"Modern cremators have a larger footprint due to their increased width to  receive wider coffins, as well as the modern day safety and filtration systems required."

The existing Scholemoor Crematorium building, built in 1905, would not be suitable for the new facilities - the Council has said.

Explaining further inadequacies of the Scholemoor site, the application says: "Numbers (of cremations) have declined by over 20 per cent in the last 10 years, well over double that of the West Yorkshire trend, leaving 35-40 per cent of the district’s cremations being carried out at this location.

"The site is surrounded by an inadequate highway network with issues of immediate access and egress to the site.

"It is also based within a predominantly Muslim community who favour burial as the only funeral option, their main burial ground being based within the same cemetery.

"The cemetery is well-used with many people visiting the site for various purposes and this has a significant impact on funeral parties using the crematorium."

The new plans show the main building that will contain two chapels - one for 150 mourners and the other for 20 mourners, as well as a winter garden, terrace and memorial garden.

There will also be parking spaces for 118 cars, as well as an overflow car park for 25 vehicles, coach bays and space to park 40 bicycles.

And the application says the site will have space for the majority of the Council's bereavement services.

A decision on the application is expected before the end of the year.

Earlier this year a petition was sent to Bradford Council calling for the Shetcliffe Lane plan to be re-considered.

It said the facility would increase congestion, and that the area had poor transport links.

Twelve people signed the online petition.