One of the most unique features of new Plymouth crematorium is beginning to take shape.
Over the past few weeks, the steelworks for the café and wake facility have been installed, giving a clear indication of how the building will look when finished. Located away from the main building, near the entrance to the site, the café will be open to serve refreshments for people attending funerals and also for those visiting the site to pay their respects. Crucially, though, it will also be available for families hire for wakes, with rooms to accommodate up to 40 guests.
The new crematorium, off Haye Road in Plympton, is being constructed by the Kier Group and will be known as The Park. It is due to open in Spring 2024.
Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet member for Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Libraries, Cemeteries & Crematoria, said: “This is another crucial construction milestone on the journey to The Park, Plymouth’s new, state-of-the-art crematorium.
“Although the café is only a very small part of the project overall, it’s fantastic to see it taking shape.
“We know not just from our research but from our own experience in attending funerals that often people come from far and wide, they stand around outside, they want to catch up before and sometimes after, and they’ve got nowhere to go.
“By having this facility on site, but slightly away from the main crematorium, we’ll be able to make what can be pretty tough days that little bit easier for people.”
The new crematorium, which will open in 2024, has designs inspired by the landscape, the buildings will nestle into the slope of the site and will be surrounded by pooled water. Plymouth Limestone is being used and with windows that will provide lots of light and stunning views out over the water, and the local Devonshire scenery and beyond.
Outside, reflective spaces, designed for memorialisation and scatterings will embrace the local environment and ecology.
In addition, the site will benefit from a new café, which will be open to serve refreshments for people attending funerals and also for those visiting the site to pay their respects. It will also be available for families to hire for wakes.
When the new crematorium is built, it will replace existing facilities at Efford and Weston Mill, which will continue to be active for burial and memorials. More information on plans for the new crematorium can be found at www.plymouth.gov.uk/futurecrem
