On behalf of East Cambridgeshire District Council, we are pleased to have secured a resolution to grant full planning permission for a crematorium with associated service and administration building, function building, natural burial, memorial garden, pet cemetery and car parking at the former Mepal Outdoor Centre near Ely. This scheme will fulfil the Council’s longstanding ambition to provide a crematorium and natural burial ground in the District.

The proposals make effective use of brownfield land, replacing a prior community facility that was no longer operational or viable with a holistic bereavement service for the local community. This includes high quality, attractive and sustainable buildings with measures including solar panel provision and on-site battery storage such that the scheme can meet 70% of its electricity needs through renewables, as well as the use of an electric cremator instead of a conventional gas cremator, which substantially reduces carbon emissions. The development also provides a clear framework to preserve and enhance the high biodiversity value of the site and allows continued passive recreational access to the wider lake.