Crematoria scheme to cost extra £6.7m

THE OVERALL cost of a scheme to modernise Bradford’s crematoria will cost almost £7m more than originally budgeted.

Bradford Council’s Bereavement Strategy was announced in November 2016 for a major revamp of Oakworth Crematorium and two new crematoria created to replace existing, ageing facilities.

A new crematorium at Long Lane, in Heaton, would replace the existing facility at Nab Wood, and a new facility at Shetcliffe Lane, Bierley, would replace the Scholemoor Crematorium.

Originally all three projects were projected to cost £23m, but a meeting of Bradford Council’s executive tomorrow will hear the cost has rocketed to £29.7m.

“Volatility in the construction market” has been blamed for the rising costs.

The council said the work was necessary as all three of its existing crematoria were outdated.

As well as not meeting newer, tougher emission targets, the ovens were too small to accommodate larger coffins often required due to rising obesity levels.

Bulky new cremation ovens were too big for the existing buildings.

Work on Oakworth Crematorium is expected to be completed in a matter of weeks, and work on the Heaton Crematorium is set to start shortly.

Last year, the executive heard that rising construction costs meant that the Heaton Crematorium would cost £2m more than original estimates, and the whole bereavement strategy budget would likely have to be re-drawn due to the increases.

A report which will be considered by the council’s executive tomorrow has stated that the cost of the Heaton Crematorium has risen from £9.1m to £11.9m, and the cost of the Bierley facility has increased from £10.5m to £14.8m.