The £11million facility, in the centre of Chingford Mount Cemetery, was unanimously supported by councillors at a planning meeting last night following debate over demand levels, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

An illustration showing how Chingford Mount Crematorium will look, Credit: Waltham Forest Council

A controversial new crematorium in Waltham Forest has been green-lit for the second time, after the levels of demand were brought into question.

The £11million facility, in the centre of Chingford Mount Cemetery, was unanimously supported by councillors at a planning meeting last night (1st April).

Ian McArdle, a crematorium operator, had contested the council’s data after it was first approved in January, arguing it was “not needed”.

Waltham Forest Council identified around 85,400 residents who lived beyond a 30-minute drive from a crematorium. That equated to around 1,625 cremations annually.

However, in a written submission to the council, Ian said that just 47 deaths in Waltham Forest were currently not served in that same time frame.

He said the council was conflating the population with the level of need, adding that up to 22% of deaths belong to a religion that does not perform cremations – a much higher proportion than the national average of 7%.

All deaths could be accommodated within a 45-minute drive, the operator added.

The significant discrepancy between the two figures meant the plans had to go back before councillors for further debate.

The planning committee was told all of those 85,000 residents living half an hour away would be served by the Chingford Mount crematorium. A further 291,000 would be closer to the facility than any other, even if they were outside the thirty-minute catchment.

That would lead to increased services and additional choices fore residents, the council says.

An officer for the council said the borough’s ageing population meant there was a “growing need for dignified end of life services”.

He added that, without a crematorium in the borough, residents faced extended travel times that led to extra “logistical challenges and emotional strain in difficult times”.

Committee chair Andrew Dixon said that despite the differences in figures, there was still a “strong case” for the crematorium to be built.

Concerns were also raised by residents over any harmful emissions from the crematorium, despite the council specifying it will only produce heat.

One resident said she was worried about its proximity to public parks and a primary school, adding: “Do we really want to burn our dead where children play?”

Councillor John Moss, a Conservative ward councillor for Larkswood, said he had received hundreds of emails from residents about the issue.

He told both the committee and members of the public that “all that comes out of it is heat”. He said: “I can genuinely reassure residents we’re not burning something that comes out the chimney.”

He added that it could increase footfall in Chingford Mount, which he called the “least accessible” town centre in the borough.

Around 80% of the cemetery’s burial ground has been filled, and it is projected to run out of space by 2033.

Construction of the new crematorium is still slated to begin this year. It is expected to be up and running by 2026.

It will be open between 9.30am and 5pm.

A similar facility in Waltham Abbey was approved in October 2023.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.