Go ahead for new crematorium could reduce 'rush' for bereaved families

A second crematorium in east Belfast has been given the green light in a move which one funeral director said could "make everything less rushed" for grieving families.

Plans for a new crematorium at Roselawn Cemetery were unveiled by Belfast City Council (BCC) in 2021 but had faced delays.

Earlier this week, the council voted to reject a Sinn Féin proposal to build a crematorium at Milltown in west Belfast. Votes from Alliance, the unionist parties and the Green Party pushed through a decision to progress a new two-chapel crematorium at Roselawn.

"The need for another crematorium has been obvious for a long time," said Stephen Larkin, past president of the Association of Funeral Directors.

Belfast councillors have been debating a new crematorium at the Roselawn site for more than a decade.

There are currently only two crematoriums in Northern Ireland - the existing one at Roselawn Cemetery and another at Doagh Road in Newtownabbey.

It is common for people from counties Tyrone, Fermanagh and Derry to travel to crematoriums across the Irish border.

According to Larkin, more and more people are choosing cremation.

"Roselawn opened in the 1960s, when cremations were rare, and, to be honest, it doesn't even serve the purpose it was built for then," he said.

Initially intended to complete 700 cremations a year, Roselawn now performs more than 3,000 annually.

"When Antrim and Newtownabbey crematorium opened in 2023, that took a bit of the pressure off," said Larkin.

"But even still, both are constantly under pressure.

"You're talking a five or six day waiting period at either.

"And in Roselawn, because of the volume of cremations they are dealing with, families only have about 20 minutes to have their service."

The brevity of the ceremonies, Larkin said, is what frustrates most families.

"It's too rushed. Even for us as funeral directors, 20 minutes is too rushed," he added.

As well as facilitating longer services, Larkin said the new crematorium will enable families to make services more bespoke.

This week's vote at Belfast City Hall to go ahead with a new two-chapel crematorium at Roselawn was close, with votes from unionist parties, the Alliance Party and the Green Party defeating Sinn Féin's proposal, which was backed by the Social Democratic and Labour Party and People Before Profit.

At a committee meeting last month, Sinn Féin proposed to "progress the continued investigation of Milltown as an alternative site" for a one-chapel crematorium.

However, after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had enough support to go ahead with the extra chapel at Roselawn, Sinn Féin 'called in' the decision for legal analysis.

When BCC met on Monday, Sinn Féin again tried to halt the decision on Roselawn and defer consideration based on "new information" they said had come from the Bishop of Down and Connor, Reverend Alan McGuckian.

Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy asked questions about the cost of the project, as well as the accessibility for people living in the west of the city.

Alliance councillor Michael Long said "for far too long people have had to use a crematorium which is at a level that is not acceptable".

Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn praised Roselawn staff and said this "ridiculous conversation" has been "going on for years".

He said the situation on the ground was "dire".

Sinn Féin's proposal to defer a final decision on Roselawn for further consideration received 27 votes in favour and 28 against.

Additional reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service