Inverness crematorium upgrade making ‘significant steps’, Highland Council report reveals
"Significant" steps have been taken towards the upgrade of Inverness's crematorium to ensure it remains fit for purpose into the future, a council committee will hear next week.
A report set to go before Highland Council's communities and place committee next Thursday will detail ongoing progress being made to replace the Kilvean Cemetery site's cremation ovens, with work expected to begin in November.
It was previously reported that the need to replace the existing cremators had become necessary due to the planned introduction of stricter emissions standards by 2027 and the collapse of the company which made the existing facilities - the latter of which poses "long-term reliability" risks for the current plant when it comes to ongoing maintenance and support.
In next week's update to the committee, councillors will be informed that a contractor has been chosen to install two new Facultatieve Technologies III SE cremators, with Morrison Construction expected to carry out the work, and design development "currently underway".
Planning permission for the new cremators has also been submitted for a planned extension of the facility and "progress" has been made in securing the necessary building warrants, "marking a significant step forward in the crematorium upgrade project".
The report added: "Online works are scheduled to commence in November, marking the beginning of the crematorium upgrade. The extension is expected to be wind and watertight by March, aligning with the removal of Cremator 1.
"Installation of the new Cremator 1 will follow, with completion anticipated by June after a 10-week installation period.
"Cremator 2 will be removed in July, with its replacement installed by September 2026, also over a 10-week period."
Facultatieve Technologies is then expected to handover the completed cremators that same month.
The council on September 14, 2023 approved a capital budget for the crematorium project of £1.2million with £50,000 allocated for 24/25 and £1.15million for 25/26.
Meanwhile, the report also revealed progress reports on efforts to increase capacity at several cemeteries in the area since the start of the year.
These included the identification of an extra 18 lairs at Petty Tornagrain burial ground, which will increase its capacity by an additional five-and-a-half years.
Eighty-seven extra layers have been added at Croy's burial ground - adding more than 50 years' with of fresh capacity following work to install additional plinths within its existing boundary. This work was completed in February.
Kilmorack's cemetery has had almost nine years' worth of capacity added to its projected lifespan following the addition of 84 new layers by the end of June.
And an additional 19 layers have been identified within the Tomnacross Burial Ground - extending the period before it's full by roughly 11 extra years.