New Heaton crematorium to be handed over to Council in spring 2023

The steel frame of the building at the new Heaton Crematorium is underway.

Plans for the facility were approved by Bradford Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee in 2020.

The new site will replace the existing Nab Wood Crematorium.

Building work is continuing on the new Heaton Crematorium

Bradford Council said the majority of the groundworks at the Long Lane site have been completed and the building is set to be handed over by the construction company in spring next year.

It was revealed last year that the new Heaton crematorium will cost £2 million more than originally estimated.

The crematorium site is now expected to cost £8.8m, rather than the pre-pandemic estimate of £6.9m. This is due to volatility in the construction industry that has seen the cost of materials rise.

The Council pledged to monitor the situation closely.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby has given an update on the work on the new Heaton Crematorium

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s executive member for healthy people and places, said: “At present work is progressing on the new Heaton Crematorium in line with the programme agreed with the main contractor.

“We are pleased that the majority of the groundworks have been completed with no issues and the construction of the steel frame of the building is underway.

“It is expected that the building will be handed over to the Council in Spring 2023.”

The scheme forms part of a major shake-up of the Bradford district’s bereavement services.

The Scholemoor and Nab Wood sites are being replaced, which the Council says are operating beyond their working life.

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

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.

A new facility will be built in Bierley on land near Shetcliffe Lane, while Oakworth Crematorium underwent a major refurbishment.

The new Heaton crematorium was fully approved after Robert Jenrick, then-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, decided not to ‘call in’ the decision last year.

This was a factor because the crematorium is being built on a Green Belt site.

Mr Jenrick could have opted to ‘call in’ the plans - meaning it would have been the Government and not Bradford Council that would have had the final say.

But the Secretary of State decided against this option.