North Yorkshire: £2.5m crematorium upgrade set for approval

A crematorium in a North Yorkshire town could receive a multimillion-pound council upgrade.

A £2.5 million investment to upgrade the cremators at Woodlands Crematorium in Scarborough is set to be approved by council bosses.

The two current gas cremators, which last for around 20-years, were installed in 2004 and need replacing.

Research has estimated that upgraded cremators can reduce gas consumption by 25 per cent compared to the older facilities which are currently used at Woodlands Crematorium, North Yorkshire Council (NYC) said.

The new cremators would be able to accommodate larger coffins, and more cremations could be carried out.

NYC’s executive member for managing the environment, Coun Richard Foster, said: “Woodlands Crematorium in Scarborough has provided a valued service for coastal communities over the last 65 years, and we must make sure that it continues to do so.

“The decision to choose like-for-like replacement cremators, rather than electric or hybrid alternatives, would ensure the crematorium stays operational while they are installed and is the most cost-effective option.”

Over the last three financial years, annual servicing and call-out maintenance costs for the Woodlands cremators have cost more than £150,000, according to a report.

The total estimated costs of replacing gas with electric cremators is approximately double the cost of gas cremators at £3 million, not including any contingencies.

Coun Foster said: “The reduction in gas consumption would cut carbon emissions and improve air quality, both of which support our net zero target of 2030 and would contribute to a more environmentally friendly cremation process.”

More than 3,000 cremations have taken place at Woodlands Crematorium over the past three years.

Bosses at North Yorkshire Council are set to approve the £2.5 million investment at a meeting on Tuesday, August 4, with the replacement due to take place next summer.