Plans submitted for new crematorium in Weeting

Funeral director Dignity, which runs St Faith's Crematorium near Norwich, has applied to open another site near Thetford

One of the country's largest funeral directors wants to build a new crematorium on farmland in a village.

Dignity UK has said it wanted to open the facility in Weeting, Norfolk, which would include a memory garden and parking for more than 100 cars.

A 100-seat chapel and a range of jobs would be created, according to plans submitted to Breckland Council.

However, some neighbours have objected to the proposal due to concerns over its location and traffic.

A planning statement from Dignity, which also runs St Faith's Crematorium, near Norwich, said it had looked at five sites north of Thetford before agreeing to the purchase of the four-acre site (1.6 ha) on Brandon Road, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

"The proposed crematorium will have a range of additional facilities that are not always available at older-style crematoria elsewhere, including a family room, audio and visual services and a range of memorial options," it said.

The site would also feature a larger-than-average cremator.

But neighbours near the site have questioned the need for it.

Matthew Reeve, of Angerstein Close, said: "We have a crematorium at Bury St Edmunds. This has been extended recently and more importantly is well away from residential dwellings and schools."

While Ben Shipp, of Cromwell Road, said: "The traffic is bad enough... and this will only increase [it]."

The plans were originally drafted last year, but following a public consultation in September a number of tweaks were made to the proposal, which will be considered by the council's planning committee at a date yet to be fixed.