A FIELD in Heaton has finally been revealed as the site of a £9 million new crematorium in the North of the Bradford District.

And a privately owned site "to the south of the city centre" is likely to be announced as the location of a second new crematorium.

Last year Bradford Council revealed plans to shut two of its ageing crematoria - Nab Wood and Scholemoor, and replace them with new crematoria. One would be in the North of the district and another in the South.

The Council had shortlisted five possible sites for those two crematoria, controversially including Littlemoor Park in Queensbury and Northcliffe Park in Shipley in this list.

Next week the Council's decision making Executive will discuss the plans, and will decide whether to move ahead with plans to buy a site off Long Lane, Heaton - South of Northcliffe Golf Club, to be the new location for the crematorium in the North of the District.

The facility is likely to cost of £9.1m, subject to land acquisition and planning permission, and the Executive will be asked to agree to a Compulsory Purchase Order to obtain the large site.

Delight as Shipley park is dropped from list of potential crematorium sites

The Council has said the location of the planned crematoria in Bradford South is still "under discussion" but a report to the Executive says "a similar proposal" to buy a private site to replace Scholemoor will be brought to the Executive soon.

If that private site in the South of Bradford does progress, it would mean Littlemoor Park would be spared from the development.

The Council says that recent changes in legislation over crematoria and their air filtration systems will make the existing Nab Wood and Scholemoor crematorium buildings obsolete.

They are also said to be operating beyond their 16 year recommended life span.

Guidance from The Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities advises that new crematoria should be built on sites at least of two hectares in size and "at a location that is both quiet and secluded."

This has limited the number of sites in the district that the crematoria could be built on.

A report to the Executive, meeting on Tuesday, says over the past six years, the Council considered 21 sites for the replacement of Nab Wood and 23 for the replacement of Scholemoor.

These were whittled down to five sites, the two public parks and three private areas of land.

Northcliffe Park was removed from the list of potential sites late last year, but Littlemoor Park remains a potential site for the Southern Crematorium.

The report says the Council will "actively prioritise the use of privately owned sites for the new facilities."

It adds: "This report seeks approval to proceed with a CPO for the private land within Heaton required for the first new proposed crematorium.

"Following receipt of outstanding information and resolution of some matters of detail, a similar proposal for the second new facility on private land to the south of the city centre will be bought to Executive in the near future."

The cost of the new crematorium building in Heaton is expected to be £5.1m, including the cost of 2 new cremators.

Work to build new roads, car parking, landscaping, gardens of remembrance and purchase of land is likely to take the overall cost to £9.1 million. 

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: “This is the latest step in our strategy to create a modern, sustainable and environment-friendly bereavement service for the people of the district.

“We have now identified the preferred site in Heaton for the replacement of Nab Wood crematorium.

“The choice of a second site to replace Scholemoor crematorium is still under discussion. We expect to be able to announce details soon.

“We hope that negotiations with the owners of any land we need to acquire for the new crematoria will be successful but it makes sense at this stage to prepare Compulsory Purchase Orders to prevent unnecessary delays to the overall scheme.

“This is a major investment in the district and its bereavement services for the future. We need to progress these works due to the age of the existing facilities which are working well beyond their recommended life span and which do not conform to modern environmental standards.”

Councillor Vick Jenkins (Lab, Shipley) had campaigned for the Council to remove Northcliffe Park from the list of possible crematoria sites. After hearing of the plans to locate the facility in Heaton, she said: "This site appears to be a far more appropriate site for the Bradford North crematorium in replacing the current facilities in Nab Wood. It is away from housing and will not remove any public amenity. Hopefully it will help in deterring fly tippers on Long Lane too as they may be more respectful of the area."

The Executive meets in City Hall next Tuesday at 10.30am.