Consultation starts on crematorium near school

West Northamptonshire Council said the crematorium would be "state of the art"

A public consultation is getting underway on controversial plans for a new crematorium next to a secondary school.

The process starts with an exhibition on Wednesday close to the site of the Wantage Park development near Northampton.

West Northamptonshire Council said the facility was "much needed".

Some local people have expressed concern about the crematorium being so near a school.

The council says a new crematorium is desperately needed, and the proposed facility will be "state-of-the-art" and sustainable.

It will be next to a secondary school that serves new housing developments in the Round Spinney area.

Posting on social media, some nearby residents have said the location is totally unsuitable.

One mother wrote: "It would definitely put me off sending my kids there or living nearby."

A man from the nearby village of Moulton added: "What more can they do to destroy the village? I propose adding an abattoir, tannery and breeze block factory!"

Some local people have defended the idea, saying the crematorium is needed and "it will be quiet and serene, not Michael Jackson's Thriller!".

The school has been under construction for 18 months but is now open

The consultation will begin with a session at Moulton Community Centre on Wednesday 25 September between 17:00 and 22:00 BST, where the plans will also be on display and people can ask questions.

The plans will remain there until 2 October, and there will also be an online consultation from Wednesday.

Mike Hallam, the council's cabinet member for corporate services, said: “This consultation is the start of a conversation that will give you an opportunity to share your feedback at an early stage and help shape the future of this facility.

"The feedback gathered from this pre-planning consultation will play a key role in shaping the final plans, and I urge everyone to get involved."

The council added that the crematorium would have modern filtration systems to ensure there would be no smoke or odours affecting the school.

Moulton Parish Council will be holding an extended public session to discuss the proposal on 1 October.