Construction begins on 15-acre crem near Cramlington

Westerleigh Group has announced that work has officially begun on a new 15-acre crematorium near Newcastle that will allow families to personalise services using immersive audio-visual technology. 

Known as the Great North Crematorium and Memorial Gardens, the facility will be located off Arcot Lane and is expected to open in winter 2026. It will feature technology from Obitus that allows themes, images, and lighting to be projected across the front wall of the chapel.

The chapel will seat 112 people with additional standing room and external screens for larger gatherings. The site includes parking for 120 cars and is designed to serve Newcastle, Northumberland, and North Tyneside.

Developers said the building has been designed with natural screening to minimise the visual impact on the local community. The project includes a series of open spaces and a welcome garden for quiet contemplation.

Services will be scheduled for one hour to ensure families do not feel rushed. The chapel will also feature a moveable catafalque, allowing the coffin to be positioned according to the preference of the mourners.

Ed Lane, managing director of crematoria and cemeteries at Westerleigh Group, said: “We’re excited to be developing our first crematorium in the North East of England, introducing the communities there to the exceptional levels of care and service that we have built our reputation on.

“We’re especially pleased to be able to incorporate the immersive technology into this development as it is built. We are particularly proud of how this offers the bereaved an option to personalise a final farewell to unprecedented levels. It means funerals can be more uniquely personal and memorable than ever before.”

He added: “The development of this new crematorium marks an important step in our ongoing investment to ensure communities across the UK have access to high-quality, beautifully-designed, facilities that offer choice, exceptional care, and compassion.”