Decision delayed on crematorium
A decision about the lease for a crematorium set to be built in a village has been delayed after a passionate plea.
Leicestershire County Council's cabinet was due to rule on whether to give developer Westerleigh Group a lengthy lease on land near Leicester Road, Countesthorpe, on Tuesday.
If approved, the firm could have then lodged a planning application to build the £3 million crematorium.
However, after a passionate speech by Countesthorpe councillor David Jennings, the decision was delayed to give members a chance to get the views of Blaby District Council.
He told the meeting: "The very thought of a crematorium on this site is frankly appalling. The crematorium would be built in full view of a proposed 168-home estate. "When residents wake up in the morning and look out of their bedroom window, they'll see it. When they go downstairs to make their breakfast, they'll still be able to see it.
"I simply can't overestimate the level of opposition from residents."
Alan Moore, 50, who lives close to the proposed development, said: "I understand that crematoria have to go somewhere, but surely somewhere away from a built-up area would make more sense. I hope the whole thing is dropped."
One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "Politicians have finally sat up and started listening to the concerns of residents here.
"There are hundreds of places more suitable for a crematorium then [sic] a village like ours."
The proposed crematorium would include a ceremony room, memorial gardens and landscaping, and hold four to five services a day.
There would also be wash rooms and a viewing area for Sikh ceremonies, which traditionally involve watching the coffin entering the furnace.
The company's commercial director Adrian Britton said yesterday: "I understand councillors need time to consider the issue and I'm confident it will eventually go through."
He has previously said: "The idea is to design the crematorium in a manner which will offer an atmosphere families can grieve in peaceful surroundings. We want to make sure it is sensitively designed."
Developers said the site had been chosen because it is accessible to people living in south Leicestershire.
Anger at crematorium plan
Scores of residents visited an exhibition to learn about plans to build a crematorium near their homes.
Developer Westerleigh Group is hoping to submit a planning application at the end of March for a crematorium in Leicester Road, Countesthorpe.
The £3 million development was unveiled at Countesthorpe village hall on Thursday and yesterday. Residents were given a chance to ask questions about the project.
If approved by Blaby District Council, the crematorium would be built next to a proposed 168-home estate by Redrow Homes, and residents fear it will further increase traffic along Leicester Road.
Liz Swift, who lives within a few hundred yards of the proposed site, said: "My first reaction was shock and horror.
"We've lived here for 28 years and there's been six fatalities on Leicester Road in that time – I don't think anything which brings more cars is a good idea.
"First, there's the new estate being built at the top of the road and now this, we're just concerned about the traffic."
Kenneth Warner, 86, who has lived in the village since he was three, said: "I don't understand why they're building it there, it should be closer towards Wigston, where there are more people.
"I don't have a problem with it, but it will cause a lot more congestion on the roads, we're busy enough as it is. Station Road looks like a motorway during rush-hour."
Robert Jelves, 68, said: "News of the crematorium is going round the village like wildfire, a lot of people are concerned."
The developer said that the majority of cars going in and out of the site would not be within rush hour times.
Managing director of Westerleigh Group Richard Evans said: "It's going to be a quiet, tranquil place, which is set back from the road and very discreet.
"There's been a need for something like this for a long, long time."Leicester is one of the busiest places in the country for cremations and currently has two crematoria which are holding about 14 services a day between them.
"The Countesthorpe site would hold about five cremations a day."
Mr Evans said the Countesthorpe site could deal with up to 1,100 to 1,300 cremations a year. He said: "We estimate that about 200 will come from the southern wards of the city and the majority will be from this area.
"We foresee that most people will come from around this area, but we want to make it open and available for everybody."
Under the proposals, the facade of the main building will include an interchangeable religious symbol, which can be switched to represent the faith of the service.
There will also be wash rooms and a viewing area for Sikh ceremonies, which traditionally involve watching the coffin entering the furnace.
This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:
Views sought on plan for multi-faith crematorium
A new multi-faith crematorium has been proposed for south Leicestershire.
Developers Westerleigh Group have not yet submitted plans to Blaby District Council, but will meet with residents tomorrow and on Friday to discuss the scheme.
The proposed site in Leicester Road, Countesthorpe, will include a ceremony room, memorial gardens and landscaping.
The £3 million development is being unveiled at two public consultations at Countesthorpe village hall, in Station Road.
The company's commercial director Adrian Britton said: "Leicestershire is the worst served county in the country for crematoria – there are just two which serve very large numbers and are being stretched."
The facade of the main building will include an interchangeable religious symbol which can be switched to represent the faith of the service.
There will also be wash rooms and a viewing area for Sikh ceremonies, which traditionally involve watching the coffin entering the furnace.
Mr Britton said: "The idea is to design the crematorium in a manner which will offer an atmosphere in which families can grieve in peaceful surroundings.
"We also want to make sure it is sensitively designed to complement the rural surroundings, and we are holding the exhibition to get feedback before submitting our plans."
The developers said the low-profile building would be screened from the road and the village would benefit from additional landscaping and trees.
A spokesman for Countesthorpe Parish Council said: "We're meeting with the developers tomorrow and talking about the plans then, but we don't know what's involved so don't have an opinion yet.
"We'll be listening to residents and will help anyway we can as part of the consultation process – but there hasn't been a planning application submitted yet so it's very early days."
There are two crematoria in the city and county – one at Gilroes cemetery, in Leicester, and the other in Loughborough.
Developers say the site has been chosen because it is accessible to people living in Blaby, south Leicester and neighbouring districts.They expect to hold four to five services a day.
All services will be coordinated with local funeral directors.Colin Moore, adviser at The Funeral Consultancy, in Bullhead Street, Wigston, welcomed the proposals for the crematorium.
Mr Moore, who arranges bespoke funerals as well as bereavement counselling, said: "I believe it's needed, from the funeral directors I talk to. Cremations are becoming much more popular than traditional burials."
The public exhibition will take place between 3pm and 6pm tomorrow , and 9am and 1pm on Friday.
