Work gets underway on £9.6m Derbyshire crematorium scheme aimed at easing the strain on other facilities

Plans for the Roseland Park and Crematorium, in Shirebrook, were initially approved in September, last year, and a ground-breaking ceremony has finally taken place to mark the launch of construction work with plans for the site to be completed by spring 2025.

Bolsover District Council Leader, Councillor Steve Fritchley said, “It’s been a long time in preparation, but I am delighted to see work starting on site. This is partnership working at its best, as the town council have donated the land and our own company, Dragonfly Development Ltd, are building it for the benefit of local people.

“Shirebrook is a great central location for this type of facility and it will save travelling times and enable family and friends to celebrate the lives of their loved ones without feeling rushed. This is the latest in a long line of ambitious projects we have that will help enhance the facilities available to residents of Bolsover district.”

The facility is the result of a partnership between Bolsover District Council and Shirebrook Town Council with the aim of resolving a growing demand for funeral services with other crematoriums in the region operating at a high capacity.

Ben Copeland, of specialist crematorium designers The CDS Group previously stated in September, 2022, that Chesterfield district crematorium was operating at “136.5 per cent” of its practical capacity and Mansfield district crematorium was operating at “97.8 per cent”.

Research by The CDS Group had also identified that 33,221 people in the area in 2022 were living more than a 30-minute drive from a crematorium facility which highlighted the need for a further crematorium.

Mr Copeland also previously stated that the new crematorium, in Shirebrook, would likely result in 614 cremation services per annum.

A large site off Common Lane, next to Shirebrook Cemetery, has been earmarked for the project which will include a main crematorium building, a wake facility, florist kiosk and takeaway refreshments, car parking and both formal memorial gardens and informal parkland to provide a beautiful landscape and biodiversity for the site.

The building work is being carried out by the district council’s company, Dragonfly Development Ltd, in partnership with Shirebrook Town Council.

Regional funeral directors have given their support for the project after a consultation and the district council feels the crematorium will provide a much needed facility so people do not have to travel to Mansfield or Chesterfield to pay their respects.

Roseland Park and Crematorium is also aiming to achieve BREEAM ‘excellent’ accreditation – an environmental accreditation for environmental efficiency – after the council identified plans to support carbon neutrality.

The council stated it wants to drive down the environmental impact of all new developments and it believes this facility gives them the opportunity to build something that not only meets a community need but also operates in a way that ensures a clean and green future.

Bolsover District Council’s Cabinet Member for Growth, Councillor John Ritchie, said: “Providing the district with a brand-new, environmentally friendly crematorium is a hugely important project. We understand the difficulty people in the area face when organising funerals and having to travel long distances.

“Saying goodbye to loved ones is never easy and we hope that by providing this facility in Shirebrook, we can make the process a little more straightforward.”

The Roseland Park and Crematorium project hopes to provide new employment and training opportunities throughout the construction phase and once the site is completed it is also expected to create eight new jobs for people working at the facility.