Cremations: NI's second crematorium due to open next week

An aerial view of the new crematorium in Newtownabbey

Building work on a second crematorium in Northern Ireland has been completed and the new facility is due to open next week.

Based in Newtownabbey, County Antrim - just outside Belfast - it will provide 30 cremations a week.

The only other crematorium, Roselawn, was opened in 1961 and is run by Belfast City Council.

Demand for cremations has grown in the UK but there is limited availability in Northern Ireland.

The new crematorium based on the Doagh Road was built by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, costing about £5m.

The council said the site includes a memorial garden and columbarium for the interment of ashes

It will be operational from Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 16:00, and will offer six cremations each day.

Each cremation service will be up to 45 minutes in duration.

There is room for 164 mourners, plus an overflow area.

On the council website, it states: "We believe that providing a respectful and relaxed service is essential and we don't want families to feel rushed, therefore we will offer a 45 minute service hourly from 10am to 3pm."

The £5m investment has been described by the council as a" state-of-the-art facility"

Audio-visual equipment has been installed which will allow live streaming.

The cost of a cremation is £950 with a reduced rate of £475 for residents of the local council area.

All faiths are able to use the facility and services can be religious or secular.

The Roselawn crematorium will soon be redeveloped.

It was originally designed to handle 700 cremations annually but almost 4,000 took place last year.

The proposed new crematorium will include two ceremony rooms, each with room for up to 200 people.

The plan is to provide around 4,500 cremations a year.

Currently there is a maximum of 16 cremations a day, Monday to Friday, at Roselawn. On Saturday there is a maximum of 11 and no cremations on a Sunday.

The current waiting time is approximately seven days. The cost is £408 for those within the Belfast council area and £668 for people outside the city. There is a £190 levy on Saturdays and council holidays.

Roselawn's capacity is 80 mourners. Each service slot is 40 minutes with a 15-minute committal service.

Work on the new building is due to start before the end of the year with completion expected in 2025.