Council considers closing crematorium buildings

The crematorium building at Weston Mill is one of those that may close

Crematorium buildings in Plymouth may close due to lack of use, it has emerged.

Plymouth City Council said the buildings at Efford and Weston Mill could close following the opening of a new £29m crematorium, The Park.

A spokesman for the council said: "Now that The Park has opened, all cremations are taking place here, and the demand for ceremonies and services at the old crematorium sites has been non-existent."

Although the buildings may close, the council made it clear there would be no changes to the cemeteries at the sites.

A report prepared for the city council said it was "not cost-effective to keep the buildings maintained, heated, and with sufficient staffing to be able to open them up".

The crematoria at Efford and Weston Mill are no longer functioning but both sites could continue to be used for burials and memorials.

The council spokesman said: "Although we know that people will have an affinity with both Efford and Weston Mill, they are Victorian facilities.

"The reason we built The Park was because it was not possible to bring the two older sites up to modern standards.

"Any decision on the future use of the sites would require a public consultation."