Blackwood, Pontllanfraith and the surrounding communities

Transcription

1 The Need for a Crematorium to Serve Blackwood, Pontllanfraith and the surrounding communities November 2018

2 Contents Chapter Chapter Title Page 1 Executive Summary 3 2 Introduction to Westerleigh 5 3 Cremation Act Cremation in the UK Past, Present and Future 7 5 Drive Times 12 6 Quantitative Need 14 7 The Capacity of a Crematorium & Quantitative Standard 16 8 Existing Crematoria 20 9 Qualitative Need Westerleigh s Crematorium Conclusions 26 Figures Description Page 1 Cremation Rate and the number of Crematoria 7 2 Deaths in the UK 8 3 UK Population and Death Rate 8 4 Deaths, Cremations and Cremation Rate 9 5 ONS Population forecasts 9 6 Recorded and forecasted deaths in the UK 9 7 Costs of burial vs cremation 10 8 Caerphilly County Borough Council Population Projections 11 9 Caerphilly County Borough Council Death Projections International cremation rates Current Drive Time and Catchment Map for the Study Area Drive time map illustrating the area newly served within 30 minutes and the table of data Proposed Drive Time and Catchment Map for the Study Area Calculation of crematorium capacity for 40, 45 and 60 minute slot lengths Monthly Deaths in Caerphilly County Borough Council area Map showing the natural Catchment Area for the proposed crematorium 24 Page 1

3 Appendix Title 1 Crematorium Data from Pharos National Crematorium Survey travel times (Feb 2016) 3 Technical Note from SCP ref Drive Times 4 Death, Dying and Devolution - extract 5 Letter from Dr Bill Webster, Grief Journey Ltd 6 Funeral Core Times Page 2

4 1. Executive Summary 1.1. This report sets out the background to the cremation sector in the UK and the context for analysing the need for a new crematorium to serve the communities around Blackwood and Pontllanfraith, in Caerphilly County Borough Council. The Westerleigh Group is the trading name of the applicant Crematoria Management Ltd Caerphilly County Borough Council is not currently served by a crematorium Due to the restrictions of the Cremation Act 1902, the development of new crematoria have to be developed away from the existing settlements Recent planning appeal cases states that in demonstrating the need for new crematoria, a 30 minute cortege drive time has been used as the basis of any needs assessment In the area surrounding the proposed site, crematoria provision is lacking. Local funeral parties have to travel more than 30 minutes in a cortege to reach a crematorium a journey time acknowledged across the sector and by funeral directors as being too long on such a stressful day To demonstrate quantitative need, the report compares supply capacity with demand for cremation. In the area surrounding the South Wales Valleys there is a demonstrable quantitative shortfall in cremation capacity within a 30 minute cortege drive time The location of the proposed site would serve a population of over 193,000 people within a 30 minute cortege drive time The position of the subject site is ideally located to service an extremely large population that currently does not have access to a crematorium within a 30 minute cortege drive time, which is over 108,000 people Around 154,000 people would have the new facility as their nearest crematorium, resulting in a forecast of around 1,300 cremations each year When a loved one dies, family and friends will choose cremation or burial based upon a range of factors. In England and Wales, in 79.52% of cases people chose cremation as the means of disposal of human remains in This cremation rate is on the increase, as is the death rate. Consequently there will be a growing quantitative and qualitative need for more crematoria to meet rising demand issues that are only set to get worse All the closest crematoriums are over a 30 minute cortege drive time from the subject site The nearest crematorium, is Gwent Crematorium to the east of the subject site. Gwent Crematorium is operating at 137% of its practical capacity throughout the year. This is significantly above the accepted 80% level which constitutes a Quantitative Standard. Crematoria operating above the Quantitative Standard level are recognised in appeal decisions (see reference 12 and 14) as providing an unacceptable level of service to the bereaved. In the South Staffordshire decision (reference 14) where the inspector wrote at paragraph 215 The parties agree that the best measure for assessing whether a crematorium is meeting a quantitative standard is its practical capacity in a peak month. In 2015 Bushbury operated at 115% of practical capacity in a peak month. The Council accepts that operating above 80% of practical capacity places a crematorium under pressure to offer a cremation service that meets an acceptable quantitative standard.. Relieving this pressure has been see as providing justification of very special circumstances for granting permission for a crematorium in the greenbelt, and therefore justification in non-greenbelt locations is even more compelling The main crematoria in the area are all over 48 years old, with the oldest being c.94 years old, and were designed when cremation rates were significantly lower than the present day. Beyond the rise in the cremation rate, the demands and expectations of funeral services has Page 3

5 changed dramatically and neither of the current crematoria meet the expectations of modern services The two closest existing crematoria in the area offer 25 and 30 minute services, as a result funerals will often feel congested and Funeral Directors report a conveyor belt experience. With services often clashing with previous services, which does not provide the dignity such a sensitive services deserves Due to the age and design of the existing crematoria, the quality of the service that is being offered to the bereaved is being compromised. This is due to out of date facilities which are incapable of improvement; short services, 25 minutes in some cases, well below the recommended service length, which does not allow previous services to clear before the next starts, with mourners often mixing with other services The proposed crematorium, not only provide state of the art facilities, it will offer 1 hour service intervals, which will provide enough time to ensure for a peaceful dignified, unrushed service for mourners to arrive and leave without overlapping with other services Cremation is not a commodity which people can choose to forego if there is insufficient supply. Therefore, this lack of capacity, a quantitative shortfall, leads to a qualitative impact such as delays to funerals and reduced service levels. This often results in added distress for the bereaved. Page 4

6 2. Introduction to Westerleigh 2.1. Westerleigh Group is the UK s leading independent operator and developer of crematoria and cares for nearly forty thousand funerals each year. The Company was established in 1991 and operates thirty one crematoria across England, Scotland and Wales Westerleigh is currently developing two further sites, which will increase the portfolio to thirty three crematoria, with an active pipeline of further sites. Of these thirty one, Westerleigh will have designed and built twenty five, making the Company the most experienced developer of crematoria in the UK. Of the thirty one schemes, Westerleigh operate three in Wales, being Llanelli, Aberystwyth and Langstone Vale Westerleigh s core objective is to provide the highest quality of care to people suffering bereavement. The environment and setting for the service is an essential part of this objective, and Westerleigh has an established reputation for creating and maintaining high quality crematoria set in beautifully maintained memorial parks. The intention is that the bereaved should leave with memories of green spaces, flowers and trees The Company s long experience in the operation of crematoria, its relationships with Funeral Directors and its commitment to its core values of empathy, care and understanding mean that Westerleigh is best-placed to design and build modern facilities to meet the needs of the local community Westerleigh has significant experience of working in partnership with Local Authorities to develop new crematoria and has also taken over the running of existing municipal crematoria Whilst the Company specialises in crematoria it also operates nine cemeteries, including the historic New Southgate cemetery in North London Westerleigh s team of around 200 colleagues is led by Richard Evans, Managing Director, who has over 20 years experience in the operation of crematoria and cemeteries. An artist impression of the proposed crematorium Page 5

7 3. Cremation Act Once an area has been identified as in need of a new crematorium a detailed site investigation is undertaken to identify possible suitable locations The starting point for any site search is the Cremation Act 1902, which states that any new crematorium can t be sited within 200 yards of an existing dwelling or within 50 yards of any highway. No crematorium shall be constructed nearer to any dwellinghouse than 200 yards except with the consent in writing, of the owner, lessee and occupier of such house, nor within 50 yards of any public highway 3.3. As such the siting of new crematoria are being forced away from settlement boundaries and into open countryside While the Cremation Act 1902 is itself not a planning consideration it is important to establish, why new crematoria are being sited outside of settlement boundaries. This principle has been accepted by a number of appeal decisions, Secretary of State in the Essington case reference APP/C3430/W/15/ , paragraph 217 To meet the requirements of the Cremations Act 1902 as amended any new crematorium must be located no less than 200 yards from any dwelling. Consequently, a countryside location is required for a new crematorium.. Page 6

8 4. Cremation in the UK Past, Present and Future 4.1. The first crematorium in the UK opened in Woking in Cremation took time to become established, as Figure 1. shows, with fewer than 10% of funerals being conducted by cremation (the Cremation Rate ) until During this period, the number of crematoria in the UK had grown to 58, the main expansion coming in the 1930 s. Number of Crematoria % 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Cremation Rate % Number of Operating Crematoria Cremation rate (%) Figure 1. UK Cremation Rate and the number of Crematoria (see Reference 1) 4.2. The late 1940 s and early 1950 s marked a significant increase in the cremation rate. This may have been due to a shift in cultural attitudes or perhaps the increased number of crematoria made it easier for people to exercise their choice for cremation. Whatever the cause, by 1960 the cremation rate had increased to over a third of all funerals. Additional development was understandably curtailed during the war and post war years, but growth recommenced in the mid 1950 s, responding to the continued steep rise in the cremation rate The cremation rate continued to grow rapidly during the 1960 s and into the 1970 s, so that by the end of that decade two thirds of people were choosing cremation. The number of crematoria grew to keep pace with the demand, with provision nearly tripling from 58 in 1950, to 148 in 1960 and to 206 in Construction of new crematoria slowed down in the early 1970 s, with fewer than 20 built in the next two decades. During this period, the cremation rate continued to climb, slowly but steadily, to nearly 70% by the end of the 1980 s Pressure for the development of new crematoria eased off in this period as the death rate in the UK first levelled out at around 660,000 deaths per annum, and then in the first decade of the 21 st century fell to as low as 560,000. The chart in Figure 2. illustrates the relatively narrow band within which the death rate in the UK has fluctuated over the last 130 years. It is noticeable that 2011 was a recent low point since when the death rate has started to climb. This inflexion point will be referred to later These figures mark the balance between the growth in population over the period, against the increase in life expectancy (expressed as the death rate percentage). The former exerting an upward pressure on the death rate, the latter pulling it back down, as shown in Figure 3. Note, however, that whilst the population has continued to rise at a steady rate, the % death rate reached a low of 0.879% in 2011 and has levelled off since then. The combination of these two factors has led to a steady climb in the number of deaths, ahead of ONS forecasts (see Figure 6.). Page 7

9 4.6. In addition to these various trends the steadily increasing cremation rate, which stood at 77.05% across the UK in 2016 (79.52% in England), means that the number of cremations has continued to climb standing at over 466,000 in 2016 as illustrated by Figure 4. Recorded Deaths in teh UK (000's) Figure 2. Deaths in the UK (see Reference 2) Recorded Deaths ('000's) UK Population (m) Figure 3. UK Population and Death Rate (see Reference 2) UK Population (m) Death Rate % 2.0% 1.8% 1.6% 1.4% 1.2% 1.0% 0.8% 0.6% 0.4% Death Rate Page 8

10 Number of Deaths or Cremations 700, , , , , , , % 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Cremation Rate % Recorded Deaths Number of Cremations Cremation rate (%) Figure 4. UK Deaths, Cremations and Cremation Rate (see Reference 1 & 2) 4.7. Reference was made above to a potential inflexion point for the number of deaths in the UK in The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has forecasted that the death rate will start to rise. In the ONS National Population Projections 2014 Based Statistical Bulletin (Reference 3) the table set out in Figure 5 below forecasts key population statistics. Millions Population at start Births Deaths Natural change Net migration Total change Population at end Notes: 1. Figures may not sum due to rounding. Figure 5. ONS Population forecasts (see Reference 3) 4.8. These forecasts are grouped in 5-year time horizons. Figure 6 shows the same data with the death forecasts averaged out for each 5-year period and added to Figure ,000 Deaths in the UK 650, , , , Recorded Deaths ONS Forecast Deaths Figure 6. Recorded and forecasted deaths in the UK (see Reference 2 & 3) Page 9

11 4.9. The deaths for 2017 (607,037) exceeded the ONS forecast (573,563) by over 5%. As can be seen from previous years of recorded deaths, there are variations from one year to the next, and it is quite normal to see a year of high death rates followed by lower figures the following year. The 2017 indicative death rates are slightly higher than 2016, the increase is just 1% These death rates are at a level anticipated by the ONS for ten years hence, and so the anticipated levels of nearly 700,000 deaths in 2039 could be with us sooner than currently forecasted. The inflexion point seems to have arrived As the death rate rises towards the forecasted 685,000, even if cremation rates are static at the current 77.05% (for UK as a whole), the number of cremations in the UK would increase to 528,500. However, pressure on burial grounds and the relatively high cost of burial compared to cremation are likely to cause cremation rates to continue to increase as they have done steadily over recent years as shown in Figure The latter point is well illustrated in Figure 7. which shows that the average basic burial plot is over a thousand pounds more expensive than the average basic cremation fee according to research by SunLife. 2,500 UK Average Cost 2,000 1,500 1, Cremation Costs Difference Burial Costs Figure 7. Costs of burial vs cremation. (see Reference 4) Note: costs of the celebrant and other professional fees were excluded by the source for ease of comparison Can the cremation rate continue to rise? Figure 10 below shows how the UK cremation rate compares to other countries around the world for which the data is available. As can be seen the UK is not even in the top ten countries for cremation rates. Comparable European nations such as France and Germany are experiencing increases in their cremations rates, which have been low due to the historic ban on cremation for those of the Catholic faith. This ban was lifted in 1963 but the combined effects of the lack of crematoria and the need for cultural change meant the uptake in cremation in countries where the Catholic faith predominates is only now coming about Further growth in the cremation rate is considered, therefore, not only possible but very likely not only in those countries but also in the UK. Burial is a very land extensive use, and the Page 10

12 increased propensity to cremate will help to reduce burials, and therefore reduce pressure on this land use Westerleigh anticipates that the growth in population, combined with the increasing death rate, and the rising cremation rate will result in a significant increase in the number of cremations over the next decade Figures 8 and 9 show the projected population growth and projected deaths for Caerphilly County Borough Council. What can been seen in the tables below is that the percentage increase in deaths, is significantly higher than the growth in population. Not only is there a current proven need for new crematorium in the area now, the demand for additional crematoria is going to greatly increase in the near future. Caerphilly Population Projections Year Population 180, , , , , ,900 % Change from % 0.94% 1.22% 1.11% 0.61% Figure 8. Caerphilly County Borough Council Population Projections. (see Reference 15) Caerphilly Death Projections Year Deaths % Change from % 4.05% 9.53% Figure 9. Caerphilly County Borough Council Death Projections. (see Reference 16) This increase can be absorbed in some locations by the existing stock of crematoria. However, there are still parts of the country where the distance to the nearest crematorium is unacceptably far or where the existing crematoria have to carry out so many cremations that the quality of service offered to the bereaved suffers These current shortfalls in provision, taken together with the increase in demand that is demonstrated above, are applied in a detailed analysis of the study area within this report. The report will thus demonstrate both Quantitative and Qualitative justifications for a new crematorium The first quantitative justification relates to drive times, which are examined in Chapter 5. Cremation Rate % 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% JAPAN TAIWAN HONG KONG SWITZERLAND SLOVENIA DENMARK SWEDEN THAILAND CZECH REPUBLIC SINGAPORE SOUTH KOREA UNITED KINGDOM NEW ZEALAND CANADA PERU LUXEMBOURG THE NETHERLANDS GERMANY PORTUGAL FINLAND USA SPAIN ANDORRA AUSTRIA NORWAY FRANCE ICELAND POLAND ITALY SERBIA MONGOLIA EIRE TRINIDAD & TOBAGO GHANA ZIMBABWE ROMANIA Figure 10. International cremation rates. (see Reference 5) Page 11

13 5. Drive Times 5.1. It has been accepted in a number of planning appeals that a funeral cortege (which would normally start at the address of the deceased) should not have to travel more than 30 minutes to reach the crematorium, Appeal case APP/D0840/A/09/ , Camborne Appeal (also see Reference 6). In previous cremation cases an industry standard, or rule of thumb, has been applied at 30 minutes travel time for the funeral cortege. It has not been rigidly applied in all cases and in this area, with its dispersed, low density population, I consider it need not be definitive of populations served by the facility. Nonetheless it provides a starting point for the assessment of the quality of service provided to the bereaved. This is a significant factor that weighs in favour of the proposal Westerleigh commissioned an independent national survey to look at people s attitudes to their local crematoria. The results of this survey confirmed that a long journey to the funeral is unacceptable with over 56% saying that a journey of over 30 minutes would cause additional anxiety and distress (see Appendix 2). In other words, at each funeral where the cortege had travelled for more than 30 minutes, over half of the bereaved would suffer more distress and anxiety A Cortege travels at speeds that are slower than standard traffic, partly as a mark of respect but also to keep the vehicles together as it negotiates traffic and junctions. This is partly to make sure the cortege arrives at the crematorium together, but also to ensure that drivers unfamiliar with the area do not get lost. This often entails the need for corteges to stop and regather before setting off again Westerleigh commissioned further empirical research in this regard for the South Staffordshire planning appeal (see reference 14 and Appendix 3) by highways consultants SCP. The resultant Technical Note is attached at Appendix 3. SCP hired a hearse for several days and rehearsed cortege journeys on a number of routes. They took additional guidance from funeral directors about common practices to arrive at their findings. These show that cortege journey times are 1.8 to 2.0 times longer than a normal car journey time Consequently, it has been accepted at planning appeals that corteges travel at around 60% of the speed of normal traffic and so the 30-minute Drive-Time Areas are based on speeds at 60% of normal TomTom speeds Poor access to crematoria facilities can also result in the cremation rate falling below national averages, as more people choose to be buried in local cemeteries, often at higher cost. As a result, communities beyond the 30-minute Drive Time are discriminated against through the lack of opportunity to access a crematorium within a reasonable time. They either have to suffer longer (and therefore more distressing and costly) cortege journeys, or choose the higher cost option of a burial Westerleigh uses software from CACI to produce Drive-Time maps based upon data provided by TomTom. This enables drive time maps to be drawn representing the region within which a cortege for a funeral can travel to the chosen crematorium within a specified time On Westerleigh s maps, the 30-minute Drive Times for existing crematoria are shaded green. Where two or more Drive-Time areas overlap the shading is intensified to a darker green (see figure 11). Please note that some wooded areas are shown a lighter green and do not denote drive times Figure 11 shows the 30-minute Drive Times areas for existing crematoria in the area around Blackwood. It is clear that there is a large geographic area around Blackwood which is beyond a 30-minute drive time for any of the current crematoria. This means that families living in this area will have to travel for more than 30 minutes to reach their nearest crematorium. As well Page 12

14 as being unsustainable and adding extra travel cost, the bereaved are likely to suffer increased distress at having to travel such a long way The map in Figure 12 shows the 30-minute Drive Time for the proposed crematorium shaded yellow The population within this 30-minute Drive Time is over 193,000 people, of whom over 108,000 would be served, for the first time, by a crematorium within the 30 minute cortege speed drive time. The Site Figure 11. Current Drive Time and Catchment Map for the Study Area The Site Gwent Crematorium Pontypridd Crematorium Figure 12. Drive time in yellow. Page 13

15 Quantitative Need In order to ensure that Westerleigh is developing new crematoria in the right places, the company has worked with leading independent demographic and market information provider CACI to develop a powerful software tool that enables Westerleigh to analyse the supply of and demand for crematoria services. The software, called In-Site, combines census data, death records, mapping and drive time information to enable Westerleigh to predict catchment areas, analyse drive time populations and forecast the number of cremations likely at a new crematorium The basis for the population analysis is the Office for National Statistics (ONS) census Output Areas (OA s). These are the smallest building blocks of population analysis, with each OA representing at least 40 households (or 100 people) but no more than 250 households (or 625 people). Each OA has a centroid which is a point within the OA boundary. The location of the centroid is determined by the distribution of the population within the OA When a catchment area or a drive-time area is drawn, if the centroid of an OA falls within that area, that OA s population is counted as lying within that catchment or drive-time area. This enables In-Site to analyse population statistics for a given geographic area. The analysis is based upon 2011 census data, with population projections to The ONS also supplies data on the number of deaths in every Output Area each year. This allows Westerleigh to take the average number of deaths over the last three years for which data is available (2015, 2016 and 2017) to use as an estimate for the number of deaths in any given population for the current year To forecast the need for a proposed crematorium Westerleigh must first define a Catchment Area or Drive-Time Area. It is important to understand the difference between these concepts at the outset A Catchment Area is the geographical region surrounding a crematorium within which the bereaved are likely to choose that crematorium for the funeral of a loved one. For the purposes of analysis, needs reports assume that the decision as to which crematorium will be selected by the bereaved is most likely to be based on the travel time from the deceased s last address. Conventionally the cortege would commence at the deceased person s address, as that is where immediate family and friends are likely to gather CACI s In-Site software allocates each OA to a crematorium based upon shortest journey time (from the OA s centroid). CACI s In-Site software draws a catchment line like a watershed between OA s that are allocated to different crematoria. The result is a patchwork of different catchment areas that do not overlap. On Westerleigh s maps, these catchments are delineated with a thin red line encompassing all of the OA s whose centroids are shortest journey time to the relevant crematorium (see Figures 11 & 13) When looking at the potential need for a new crematorium Westerleigh analyses a number of catchment areas for the crematoria closest to the area of need, thus combining them into a Study Area When a potential site has been identified, Westerleigh uses the In Site software to redraw the catchment boundaries on the assumption that a new crematorium is now open at that location (see Figure 13). The software reallocates Output Areas based on the nearest crematorium (by drive time), redrawing the catchment boundaries If Westerleigh s proposed crematorium was granted planning permission and developed, it would be the nearest crematorium for over 154,000 people. A total of over 193,000 people would live within a 30 minute cortege drive time of this new crematorium. Page 14

16 5.22. Within the catchment population for the subject site the average number of deaths per year from 2015 to 2017 was 1,557. At a cremation rate of 79.52% (the average for England in 2017), this means the new crematorium could be anticipated to care for around 1,238 cremations per year We have also analysed the religious breakdown of our catchment area and found that 99.7% of the catchment s population are from a cremating background. This means we have forecasted an extra 65 cremations per annum, taking the total of forecast annual cremations to 1, The proposed crematorium would therefore offer a modern, accessible crematorium which is more locally situated for 1,303 funerals each year, which would otherwise be going to less convenient crematoria The Catchment Area for the proposed crematorium is shown in the map at Figure 16. People living within this area, a population of over 154,000, would have the new crematorium as their closest in terms of drive time. Figure 13 Proposed Drive time (yellow) and Catchment Map (redline) for Study Area Page 15

17 7. The Capacity of a Crematorium & Quantitative Standard 7.1. The capacity of a crematorium is the number of cremations it can perform in a year Although the time it takes for the cremation process (which is typically around 70 to 90 minutes) exceeds the length of the funeral service, it is the latter which determines capacity because cremators can be operated outside of the hours available for funerals Whereas cremation can carry on until later in the day, and coffins can sometimes be held over to be cremated early the following morning, funeral services can only be held at times convenient for or acceptable to the bereaved, or at such times as may be controlled by planning conditions The Theoretical Capacity of a crematorium is seen as the number of cremations it could perform if open Monday to Friday throughout the year, excluding bank holidays (giving 252 Cremation Days ) and held cremations from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Each cremation service would occupy a period of time know as a slot. The number of cremations that could, theoretically, be held each day is therefore dependant on the length of the slot The Institute of Cemetery and Crematoria Management (ICCM) was founded in 1913 and provides policy and best practice guidance to crematoria. The ICCM is the provider of accredited education and training opportunities for its Professional members. The aim of the ICCM is to raise standards for the bereaved through the promotion of the above The ICCM produced a Charter for the Bereaved, which sets out not only the rights of the bereaved, but also targets for its members, one of which states: The burial or cremation ceremony should be considered a highly individual and important occasion. Each funeral should arrive and depart without seeing other funerals; neither should they be delayed by the late arrival of other funerals. To help achieve this standard a minimum service time of 40 to 45 minutes should be an objective. (see Reference 8) 7.7. In calculating the capacity of a crematorium, Westerleigh has worked on the basis of 45 minute slots to reflect this guidance. However, in the majority of cases, Westerleigh itself operates 60-minute slot times when opening new crematoria, and one hour slots will be offered at the proposed site. With other neighbouring crematoria offering as little as 25 minute slots and a maximum of 45 minutes slots Based on a slot length of 45 minutes, it would theoretically be possible to fit 11 services between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. However, this would require the family and friends to travel at very inconvenient times, during the rush hour, when trying to keep a cortege intact would be very stressful Therefore there are Core Hours which need to be considered when assessing crematorium capacity. This is based on normal operational experiences of crematoria in the UK as, in reality, funerals are concentrated in the middle of the day, starting between 10:30 am and 3:00 pm, rather than between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. This practice is confirmed by research undertaken at some of Westerleigh s existing crematoria which indicates that 95% of funerals commence between 10.30am and 3:00pm (See Appendix 6) There are good reasons for this pattern: Funeral Directors need a certain amount of preparation time on the day of the funeral before the cortege can embark on its journey; Extended family and other mourners may be travelling from outside the area and will need time to get to the crematorium, especially if it is a journey with which they are not familiar; Page 16

18 Mourners usually gather afterwards to hold a funeral tea or wake and so need the funeral to take place in the middle part of the day; and It would be inappropriate for a funeral cortege to be held up for long periods in school time or rush hour traffic The relevance of these core hours has been recognised by numerous planning inspectors when considering crematorium capacity, in particular the appeals at Halstead, Cambourne and Swanwick are pertinent (see References 9, 10 and 11). The appeal inspector in Appeal, APP/M1005/A/12/ (Swanwick) states the following The 4 existing crematoria have technical capacity when looking at their operation over any particular year but the fact that Chesterfield crematorium, for example, has plenty of availability in the summer months, or at 1630 hours on a winter s afternoon is of little comfort or use to those needing to book a funeral at the busiest time of the year at a time of day that would actually allow friends and family to attend. The technical capacity of the 4 crematoria does not bring people who currently live beyond a reasonable distance to a crematorium any closer to that crematorium. Plainly, there is a quantitative and qualitative need in this case. And in appeal case APP/G2245/A/13/ (Halstead) the Inspector states, I see no reason to discount the evidence of local funeral directors and clergy who refer to the long waiting times which can be experienced at times, nor the inconvenience and anxiety occasioned by the need for relatives and mourners to travel a considerable distance. Non Core Hours Core Hours Non Core Hours Funeral Start Times 40 Minute Slots 45 Minute Slots 60 Minute Slots 09:00 09:00 09:40 09:45 09:30 10:20 10:30 10:30 11:00 11:15 11:30 11:40 12:00 12:30 12:20 12:45 13:30 13:00 13:30 14:30 13:40 14:15 15:30 14:20 15:00 16:30 15:00 15:45 15:40 16:30 16:20 17:15 Capacity Type per day pa per day pa per day pa Theoretical 12 3, , ,016 Core Hour 7 1, , ,512 Practical Capacity 80% 1,411 80% 1,411 80% 1,210 Figure 14. Calculation of crematorium capacity for 40, 45 and 60 minute slot lengths It has also been recognised in the Institute for Policy Research report Death, Dying and Devolution (see Reference 13) Applying these restrictions, the number of cremations that could practically be held a day in a single chapel crematorium is seven, based on 40 or 45 minute slots, or six if the slot length is extended to one hour (see Figure 14) Westerleigh s own experience show that 95% of funerals occur within these Core Hours (see research at Appendix 6). Page 17

19 7.15. The Maximum Capacity of a crematorium can therefore be calculated by multiplying the number of Cremation Days (252) by the number of Core Hour Slots (7) to be 1,764 per annum However crematoria cannot work at 100% of their annual Maximum Capacity because it is impractical to fill every slot in the core hours, every day of the week and every week of the year. Partly this is because it is difficult to co-ordinate family, funeral director, celebrant and crematorium availability in such a way to fill each slot In addition, deaths are not spread out uniformly across the year and in winter months can be as much as 40% higher than the average. Figure 15. shows the monthly deaths from for the Caerphilly County Borough Council area as totals and as a percentage of the year as a whole. The death rate for the peak month in 2017 was 49% higher than the average (mean) number of deaths per month in Figure 15. Monthly Deaths in Caerphilly County Borough Council area This concept has been recognised in a number of appeal hearings. Mrs Justice Patterson when considering a claim for Judicial Review of permission for a crematorium in Gedling, Nottinghamshire. The judgement confirmed the correct approach taken by planning officers in applying an annualised figure based on a peak month where demand was 20% higher: 103 As the claimant recognises the capacity of a crematorium is fixed. To provide for sufficient capacity in the peak month or months the crematorium required will have the same capacity throughout the year. The use of an uplift figure was appropriate for the reasons set out above. If a figure for a month of lesser demand is used, then there will be insufficient capacity for the peak month of January. (see Reference 12) This Quantitative Standard should apply both throughout the year and also in peak months. As we have seen at Figure 15 the death rate varies throughout the year with 10.4% of deaths in the Shropshire area ( ) occurring in January That the Quantitative Standard for capacity of a crematorium should be set at 80% of its Practical Capacity was confirmed in the South Staffordshire decision (see reference 14) where the inspector wrote at paragraph 215 The parties agree that the best measure for assessing whether a crematorium is meeting a quantitative standard is its practical capacity in a peak month. In 2015 Bushbury operated at 115% of practical capacity in a peak month. The Council accepts that operating above 80% of practical capacity places a crematorium under pressure to offer a cremation service that meets an acceptable quantitative standard Therefore it is recognised that a crematorium will be operating above capacity, or over its Quantitative Standard, if running at more than 80% of its Maximum Capacity i.e. 1,411 cremations per annum for a single chapel crematorium. Therefore 80% is referred to as a Crematorium s Practical Capacity, and above this figure the Crematorium is over trading and therefore demonstrates that the Quantitative Standard is not being met, proving the need for additional crematorium, as recognised in appeal cases. Page 18

20 7.22. The impact of operating at a level exceeding this Quantitative Standard of 80% of Practical Capacity could be experienced by the bereaved where crematoria seek to meet demand by: Reducing slot lengths with the consequence that the bereaved may feel rushed, and part of a conveyor belt as they see other funeral parties on their arrival or departure; and/or Operating outside Core Hours whilst this may be appropriate for a small number of families, holding well attended funerals outside Core Hours can cause extra distress given the conflict with peak hour traffic; and/or Allowing backlogs - delaying funerals during periods of high demand can cause additional distress to the bereaved, who may feel in limbo and unable to continue the grieving process whilst waiting two, three or even four weeks for a slot to become available. The bereaved may have gathered from long distances to support family members immediately after the death. If the funeral is delayed, they may not be able to stay away from home or work, and therefore miss the funeral, or may have to travel those long distances again Delaying the funeral also causes additional distress for the bereaved, as set out in the Institute for Policy Research report Death, Dying and Devolution (see Reference 13. Page 59 onwards.) This report states There is a growing concern regarding the length of time between death and the funeral, burial or cremation. Bereaved people are telling us that in parts of England the waiting time can now be three weeks. And goes on to say We know that the funeral service and saying goodbye to the person who has died plays a vital role in helping grieving families. For many, it is what brings home the reality of what has happened. It can reduce the sense of isolation following a death, by bringing mourners (including friends and family) together to mark the end of someone s life and enabling them to provide mutual support. Delays to holding the funeral can exacerbate the feelings of distress and disorientation (the feeling of being in limbo). The report highlights that one of the causes of delay is The availability of cremation slots in peak times (around 10am 4pm) is limited. Crematoria often have vacant slots on any given day, but these will typically be at the start of the day which may be difficult and more costly for bereaved people to attend Operators of crematoria should not be criticised for having to adjust to the high level of demand by taking one or more of the actions listed above. In seeking to serve their communities, they have no choice but to do so. Where such measures are being taken, it is simply a sign that the current provision of crematoria is insufficient to serve the local population In a recent Appeal Case App/M01005/A/12/ , Derby Road, Swanwick, Derbyshire, the appeal inspector comments as follows in paragraph 23, In simple quantitative terms, there are well over 170,000 people who will live closer to the appeal scheme then any other crematorium. This figure was not disputed by the Council or the SPC/SRA. Over 93,000 people who live beyond 30 minutes of an existing crematorium (at funeral cortege speed), will live within 30 minutes of the appeal proposal. The inspector goes on to say in paragraph 24 Plainly the evidence shows there is a large gap in provision where currently there is no facility within 30 minutes drivetime. The appeal proposal would fill that gap. In coming to this view I agree that the Appellant has correctly applied a factor of 0.6 to normal road traffic speeds to take account of cortege speeds. And concludes by saying I conclude that the proposal would be an acceptable form of development within the open countryside. It accords with the development plan, including Policies EN1 and EN5, and the other policies set out in the SoCG1. I consider on balance that the proposal would constitute sustainable development and is Page 19

21 acceptable having regard to the policies set out in the NPPF. The proposal would meet an identified need which in turn would lead to more sustainable travel patterns. I conclude that the appeal should be allowed The number of deaths in the UK is climbing, as is the cremation rate. Combined, these will exert even more pressure on crematoria with a consequent detrimental increase in qualitative impact. Page 20

22 8. Existing Crematoria 8.1. The area is served by four crematoria Gwent Crematorium opening in 1960, Pontypridd Crematorium opening in 1924, Cardiff Crematorium which opened in 1953 and Aberdare Crematorium opening in 1970, all of which are over 48 years old Crematorium data is compiled by The Cremation Society of Great Britain and produced annually in their Directory of Crematoria. Data for this report has been taken from the 2017 edition (see Reference 7) which is the most recent data available, and thus matches up with the ONS s death Estimates CACI software, referred to in chapter 5, provides additional information regarding the populations within the 30 minute cortege speed drive times, and within the catchment areas for each crematorium For the population of Caerphilly County Borough Council the two nearest and accessible crematoria are Pontypridd and Gwent: Gwent Crematorium was opened in 1960 and has a single chapel for services. Located on the north east of Cwmbran. It is 33 minutes from the Westerleigh proposed site at cortege speeds. On average over the last 3 years Gwent has operated at 137% of its Practical Capacity, well in excess of the 80% Quantitative Standard. Gwent Crematorium only offer 30 minute services, which is significantly below the recommended 45 minute services Pontypridd Crematorium was opened in 1924 and is operated by the Local Authority. The Crematorium is 40 minutes at cortege speed from the Westerleigh proposed site. Due to its age the site is not designed to meet the needs of the modern service, with poor access and parking provisions. Also due to the constraints of the site, the site is not capable of being improved. The crematorium currently only offers 25 minutes funeral services, significantly below the recommended 45 minute services This is not a point of criticism, but of fact. These crematoria have no alternative and will continue to be under pressure until additional crematoria are built The fact that either the local crematoria are operating over their Practical Capacity, offering significantly reduced funeral slots or not designed to meet the needs of the modern funeral service, leads to not providing the dignified and reflective environment for the bereaved to mourn properly, on what already is an extremely stressful day Due to continuous flow of services and the short nature of the services, often car parks will still be occupied by the previous service, not allowing mourners to park their cars, again adding to the stress and anxiety of what is already an extremely stressful day Notwithstanding the above, there is a large demonstrable need for a new crematorium in its own right as demonstrated in the chapters above. Page 21

23 9 Qualitative Need 9.5 In demonstrating the need for additional crematoria reports supporting planning applications and appeals look at Quantitative and Qualitative factors. Often there is overlap between the two as quantitative issues have qualitative impacts. The Quantitative Need was demonstrated in Chapters 6 and 7 relating to drive times and demographics. 9.6 Qualitative analysis looks at the experience of the bereaved, both in terms of arranging and travelling to the funeral and their experience when at the crematorium. Many of the Qualitative issues have been illustrated in Chapter 7, above and for convenience are summarised in this chapter. 9.7 Westerleigh s analysis shows that there is a clear and demonstrable need for a new crematorium within the Caerphilly County Borough Council area. 9.8 The drive time map referred to in Chapter 4 clearly shows that there is a geographic gap in provision around the Blackwood and Pontllanfraith area, meaning that around 108,000 people do not have access to a crematorium within the accepted 30 minute cortege drivetime. 9.9 This quantitative shortcoming has qualitative impacts as shown in Westerleigh s national survey, contained in Appendix 2 in that 56% of the bereaved would be caused additional distress and anxiety if having to travel over 30 minutes in a cortege The capacity issues relating to the Quantitative Standard give rise to funeral delays in peak months Some have argued that delays are caused by administrative processes, but, as stated in the Death, Dying and Devolution report (Reference 13, page 60) In Northern Ireland it remains normal practice to hold a funeral two or three days after death, demonstrating that even when administrative processes prior to a funeral and disposal taking place are not expedited, it is possible for funerals and disposal to occur much more quickly after death The same report (reference 13, page 62 and 63) goes on to look at the factors contributing to funeral delays and says The availability of cremation slots in peak times (around 10am-4pm) is limited. Crematoria often have vacant slots on any given day, but these will typically be at the start or end of the day which may be difficult and more costly for bereaved people to attend. In the same paragraph it continues Nonetheless, nationwide capacity for the disposal of deceased peoples bodies is therefore paramount Westerleigh s proposals for a new crematorium to serve South Staffordshire attracted support from Dr Bill Webster of Grief Journey Ltd. A copy of that letter is attached in Appendix Dr Webster is a grief counsellor with over 30 years of clinical and practical experience, and has an international reputation in the field On the subject of delayed grief, Dr Webster writes A good funeral experience can assist people in the adjustment of life as it now is; a bad or difficult experience can be nothing less than traumatic Later in his letter Dr Webster writes I believe that an important consideration at a vulnerable time of bereavement or loss is to give the person a choice. One pioneer of Trauma and Crisis theory, Judith Herman, described trauma as an affliction of the powerless and advocated strongly for the empowerment of the survivor. and continues Having to delay a funeral for 2-3 weeks does not give people a choice. That delay can leave the griever in an emotional no man s land, delaying the opportunity to begin to bring closure to the situation, which can Page 22

24 have a detrimental effect. To argue that this delay gives people the opportunity to take more time to organise the activities and to allow relatives to travel to the service is, in my opinion, presumptuous. IF the family did ask for a delay in having the funeral this would be in order, but the question is Do they have a choice? If someone requests a cremation 3-4 days after a death, do they have that option available? Maybe family has assembled to say goodbye and would like the funeral to be held soon after the death in order to travel HOME. That is a matter of personal choice Dr Webster refers to people having a need to DO something and his letter clearly sets out the impact of delayed grief. He says The best evidence will be found in what people in the local community WANT. Do they WANT to wait 2-3 weeks or longer for a funeral, and the drive to another distant community for the service, or would they like another crematorium that would provide a choice of times for the service and less travel? 9.18 The importance of the 80% Practical Capacity was emphasised by the Secretary of State s decision on the Essington crematorium proposal (see reference 14) and was a key point in his decision. The parties agree that the best measure for assessing whether a crematorium is meeting a quantitative standard is its practical capacity in a peak month. In 2015 Bushbury operated at 115% of practical capacity in a peak month. The Council accepts that operating above 80% of practical capacity places a crematorium under pressure to offer a cremation service that meets an acceptable quantitative standard In summary, there is a clear qualitative need for a new crematorium to serve the area of Caerphilly County Borough Council. The crematoria currently used, are well beyond the excepted 30 minute drive time. Also once arriving at these crematorium, they are either well beyond their Practical Capacity or extremely old facilities which are not designed for modern funeral services and offering significantly shorter service times, that is recommended The proposed new crematorium would provide a well-designed facility, within a peaceful and dignified setting, with plenty of car parking and accessible to over 193,000 people within a 30 minute cortege drive-time. Of these 193,000, over 108,000 would be within 30 minutes for the first time. Around 154,000 people would have the new crematorium as their nearest facility, and it would cater for around 1,303 cremations each year The provision of the new crematorium will therefore provide a much needed service to the communities that are currently outside of a 30 minute cortege journey to an existing crematorium, and offer a more balanced provision of crematoria across the area. An Appeal Inspector for appeal case APP/X1355/A/ , Castle Eden Brewery, County Durham, stated that I consider that whilst there may be available capacity at other crematoria, the proposed crematorium would reduce some of the existing pressure by providing a facility which would have the potential to improve the experience of the attendees at the other crematoria. Furthermore, whilst I have had regard to the contrary submissions on travel time from interested parties, I have no doubt that the proposal would occupy a central position within the range of existing facilities, and would be well-located in the context of the existing settlements of East Durham where relatively lengthy journeys are necessary to existing facilities. This would have the effect of being able to reduce existing travel times from East Durham to a local crematorium quite significantly, which would lead to a positive impact on the qualitative experience for users of the crematorium. Page 23

25 Figure 16. Map showing the natural Catchment Area for the proposed crematorium The Site Page 24

26 10. Westerleigh s Crematorium Westerleigh will offer 1 hour service slots, to allow for sufficient time to allow the bereaved to hold a peaceful, dignified and unrushed service for their loved ones. This will allow services to clear before the arrival of the next service in line with best practise, as outlined by the ICCM, Charter for the Bereaved The building will offer state of the art facilities, which will include comfort cooling, TV screens to allow the bereaved to show treasured pictures and videos of the deceased, state of the art audio systems, again to allow the bereaved to play favourite music at the service. Cameras will also be installed to allow the service to be streamed online to allow mourners that are not able to attend the service the ability to view the service State of the art cremators, with mercury and NoX abatement equipment will be fitted, which exceeds the requirements of DEFRA The design of the building itself allows for generous offices, family rooms, waiting rooms and toilets, all with the view to allow the funeral service to run as smoothly as possible without adding any further undue stress to the day. Page 25

27 11. Conclusions There is a Quantitative and Qualitative Need for a new crematorium to serve Blackwood, Pontllanfraith and the surrounding communities Projected deaths in Caerphilly County Borough Council is set to increase at a faster rate than that of population growth, as a percentage Cremation rates have increased from 36.47% in 1961 to over 79%, with this set to increase even further placing additional pressure on vital community services Gwent Crematorium is significantly operating above its Practical Capacity at 137%. This is significantly above the accepted Quantitative Standard of 80%, as demonstrated by appeal cases The funeral service lengths are significantly below the recommended to offer a respectful and dignified funeral service Due to the age of the current crematoria, they are not designed to cater of the needs of modern funerals, such as parking provision at Pontypridd Crematorium The growth in population and the rise in cremations have not been matched by an increase in crematorium provision The cremation rate is on the increase, as is the death rate, which will consequently further impact on the quantitative and qualitative issues in the area Existing crematoria are located such that there is no provision within 30 minutes cortege drive time for people living in Caerphilly County Borough Council. The nearest crematorium is Gwent which is 33 minutes drive in a cortege. As shown in a number of appeal cases the 30 minute drive time is a key factor in considering applications Long drives, out of date facilities and short funeral services do not allow the bereaved to start the grieving process, and leaves the griever in a no man s land and adds additional stress and anxiety to an already stressful day Other crematoria are too far away to offer a viable choice for bereaved families in the area and these too have qualitative shortcomings Increases in population, both local and national, in death rate and in cremation rate will exacerbate the need for an additional crematorium in coming years The proposed crematorium would be the nearest choice for a population for over 154,000, and would cater for around 1,303 cremations per year A total of over 193,000 people would live within a 30 minute cortege drive-time of the new crematorium The proposed crematorium would for the first time offer a crematorium within a 30 minute cortege drive time to newly served population of over 108, The proposed crematorium would relieve pressure on the existing crematoria, which will improve the experience of the bereaved at these crematoria, and would allow them to better serve their respective catchment population The proposed crematorium will answer an immediate and long term need for additional crematorium facilities in the area. Page 26

28 References 1. The Cremation Society of Great Britain 2. Source for statistics of Numbers of Deaths: until Office for National Statistics and General Register Office, Scotland, Crown Copyright; from Office for National Statistics, the Office of the General Register of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Crown Copyright The Cremation Society of Great Britain, Pharos International Summer 2017 Volume 83, Issue Number Office for National Statistics National Population Projections 2014 Based Statistical Bulletin. Crown Copyright. 4. Taken from Sunlife Insurance research into the cost of dying report The Cremation Society of Great Britain International Cremation Statistics For example: Appeal reference APP/D0840/A/09/ , land north of Castle Eden Brewery in County Durham (APP/C1355/A/14/ ) and the decision in Burgess v OFT and Austin & Sons - Competition Appeal Tribunal [2005] CAT 25 Case No. 1044/2/1/ Directory of Crematoria 2017 Edition. 8. ICCM Charter for the Bereaved. 9. See paragraph 23APP/G2245/A/13/ February See paragraphs 23 and 49 of APP/D0840/A/09/ , August See paragraph 31 of APP/M1005/A/12/218880, July Timmins, R (on the application of) v Gedling Borough Council & Anor, Court of Appeal - Administrative Court, February 09, 2016, [2016] EWHC 220 (Admin) 13. Institute for Policy Research Death, Dying and Devolution September 2017 edited by Dr Kate Woodthorpe of the Centre for Death and Society, University of Bath. 14. Appeal reference APP/C3430/W/15/ in relation to Appeal by Westerleigh Group following refusal of application 14/00906/FUL, Land off Broad Lane Essington. Decision issued 6 th November Page 27

29 Appendix 1 Cremation Society of Great Britain Pharos International Summer 2018 Volume 84 Issue number 2 DATA EXTRACT

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42 Appendix 2 National Crematorium Survey travel times (Feb 2016)

43 NATONAL CREMATORIUM SURVEY Conducted by Research Interactive. Fieldwork dates 4 10 February Thinking about the time it took for the cortege to travel to the crematorium, was the journey: Base:- All Respondents 1000 Too long 11.8% Too short 1.5% About right 71.3% Don t know / Can t remember 6.0% No Answer 9.4% Thinking in general, if you were to suffer bereavement, within what period from the date of the bereavement would you want the funeral to be held? Base:- All Respondents 1000 Up to 1 week 34.1% 1 to 2 weeks 56.0% 2 to 3 weeks 7.2% More than 3 weeks 0.7% Don't know 2.0% No Answer - How long do you think is reasonable travel time for a funeral cortege to travel from your home to the nearest crematorium? Base:- All Respondents 1000 less than 20 minutes 23.1% minutes 45.2% minutes 24.4% More than 30 minutes 4.0% Don't Know 3.3% No Answer - How would you feel about having to travel more than 20 minutes in a funeral cortege? Base:- All Respondents 1000 It would make me feel significantly calmer and give me time to think 6.1% It would make me feel moderately calmer and give me time to think 14.2% It wouldn t affect me at all 38.9% I would feel moderately more anxious and distressed 31.9% I would feel significantly more anxious and distressed 4.8% Don't know 4.1% No Answer -

44 And what if you had to travel over 30 minutes? Base:- All Respondents 1000 It would make me feel significantly calmer and give me time to think 3.1% It would make me feel moderately calmer and give me time to think 8.0% It wouldn t affect me at all 27.4% I would feel moderately more anxious and distressed 32.2% I would feel significantly more anxious and distressed 23.9% Don't know 5.4% No Answer - How important would you say are each of the following features for a crematorium? Base All respondents Mean scores on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is not important at all and 10 is very important, ranked Quality of staff/ service Sufficient car parking The setting and grounds of the crematorium Suitable facilities for people with accessibility issues Attractive and well maintained buildings Good waiting area Ability to play recorded music Availability of preferred booking time Memorial facilities Numbers of funerals taking place about right/too busy (i.e. you are 'just next in line') Availability of booking within a week Distance/ travel time for the cortege Suitable facilities for different religious communities Proximity to public transport Taking into account the needs of the bereaved, do you think additional cremation facilities are needed in your area? Base:- All Respondents 1000 Yes 37.4% No 41.4% Don't know 21.2% No Answer - Taking into account the needs of the bereaved, do you think additional cremation facilities are needed in your area? Base:- All Respondents who expressed a firm opinion Yes No % 52.5%

45 If the cremation did not take place within 10 days of the date of death, what was the main reason? Base:- All Respondents 1000 Clergy availability 1.9% Family/Friends availability 8.9% Funeral director availability 2.7% Availability at the crematorium 16.1% Personal choice by the bereaved to delay the cremation 4.6% Another reason (please specify) 7.4% The cremation took place within 10 days 52.3% Don't know 6.1% No Answer - If the cremation did not take place within 10 days of the date of death, what was the main reason? Base:- Respondents where the cremation did not take place within ten days of death - Ranked Availability at the crematorium Family/Friends availability Clergy availability Funeral director availability Personal choice by the bereaved to delay the cremation Another reason (please specify) Don't know No Answer % 18.7% 4.0% 5.7% 9.6% 15.5% 12.8% - How satisfied were you with the following services and facilities provided by the crematorium? Base: - All Respondents Mean scores on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is not satisfied at all and 10 is very satisfied, ranked Ability to play recorded music Quality of staff/ service The setting and grounds of the crematorium Attractive and well maintained buildings Suitable facilities for people with accessibility issues Sufficient car parking Memorial facilities Distance/ travel time for the cortege Good waiting area Availability of preferred booking time Suitable facilities for different religious communities Numbers of funerals taking place about right/too busy (i.e. you are 'just next in line') Availability of booking within a week Proximity to public transport

46 Appendix 3 SCP, Technical Note on Drive Times

47 TECHNICAL NOTE Appraisal of Funeral Cortege Journey Times DR/14207/TN - 05 December SCP has undertaken a practical review of journey times made by funeral corteges. This exercise has been undertaken to determine the accuracy of other methodologies that have been used in previous assessments of crematorium sites. 2. Appeal decisions have confirmed the established views of crematorium operators and funeral directors that there should be a maximum travel time of 30 minutes between the deceased home and the crematorium. 3. The convention for establishing the 30 minutes drive time catchment has been to use GIS (Graphic Information System) data. These can be simple systems using speed limit information or more complex building in delays for junctions and average journey times from tracking vehicle journeys. It should be realised that every day is different for a journey and therefore some baseline rules need to be applied. 4. For funeral cortege journey times it has been the convention to assume that funeral corteges travel at around 60% of the speed of normal traffic, and this can provide a broad estimate of journey times, however, funeral directors have commented that the catchments within 30 minutes of a crematorium are less than the broad estimates indicate. 5. To provide an alternative assessment of journey times, SCP have worked with a firm of funeral directors to gather more information. This has resulted in two practical exercises being undertaken. 6. Firstly, a hearse was hired over a number of days to undertake journeys at the reduced speeds that a funeral cortege would travel at. A number of routes were followed from town and village centres to crematorium facilities in the West Midlands. The timing of the journeys was agreed by the funeral directors to be unrepresentative of their journeys in a cortege due to additional elements of the journey; namely a 1 minute walk in front of the cortege from the deceased s home, and secondly the effective slowing or stopping of a cortege after passing through a busy junction to allow the cortege to reform. To replicate the additional time taken through busy junctions the funeral directors suggested that their timings allow an extra 2.5 minutes for shorter journeys (up to 5 miles) and 5 minutes for longer journeys (over 5 miles). Directors: W C P Booker BSc D Roberts IEng FIHE FCIHT J Budd MSc CMILT MCIHT S Carmody BSc CEng MICE MCIHT D Young IEng FIHE PGCert Regional Director: J Russell BEng DipTM MCIHT CMILT Associate Directors: G Meikle MCIHT P Todd BSc (Hons) MSc MCIHT MTPS L Kendall BA (Hons) MCIHT P Turton BSc Eng IEng MICE A James BSc (Hons) SCP is a trading name of Singleton Clamp & Partners Limited Registered in England No Offices in Manchester, Leeds and London