Local Conservatives have welcomed the grant of planning permission for West Lindsey District Council's new state of the art crematorium.

The application for the new build on Gainsborough Road, Lea was considered at the meeting of Conservative-led authority's Planning Committee, held at the Guildhall, Marshall's Yard, Gainsborough on Wednesday, 27th June 2018; where it was approved.

Conservative-led West Lindsey District Council has set aside £6.1m to build their first crematorium in the district.

Cllr. Jessie Milne (Conservative, Lea Ward), member of the planning committee, welcomed the news, saying:

"This is great news for the people of our district, we have been aware of the lack of a crematorium provision within the district for some time. We have been conscious of the distances residents have had to travel at a very sensitive time - outside the district.

"There fore I am so pleased the Council has been able to listen to the needs of local people and that we have been able to allocate the funding to build this facility here in our district."

Conservatives committed to 'investigating the possibilities of building a crematorium within the district, as local facilities, located outside West Lindsey, such as those at Grimsby or Lincoln, face increased demand' in their 2015 local election manifesto.  

Plans for the crematorium have been in the pipeline for some time. In June 2016 the Council's Corporate Policy and Resources Committee considered a business case to develop a crematorium in or around Gainsborough and approved the neccessary capital budget to bring this development to fruition.

Consultation was also carried out in September last year to seek views on the location and the design of the plans prior to the planning application being submitted. This met the Conservative's manifesto comittment to 'consult widely on any plans to ensure that any proposal is acceptable to the district's residents'. Residents have also had an opportunity to have their say through the planning application process - leading up to the planning decision.

Cllr Jeff Summers (Conservative, Waddingham & Spital Ward), Leader of West Lindsey District Council, commented:

"This announcement is further proof of our ability to create positive opportunities to provide services that matter to local people.

"This, coupled with our ability to spend money wisely, means we can develop this flagship state of the art crematorium facility in West Lindsey, which is our first major capital development project.

"I am thrilled that the application has been approved and I can't wait for work to commence on site."

Work is expected to commence on site in October later this year, with completion approximately a year later.