Four months after Maldon Council leader, Cllr Richard Siddall, cut the turf to start construction in the New Year, the Maldon Field's Crematorium frame is soon to go up.

 Building work on the new Maldon Fields crematorium is progressing smoothly, with the foundations now set and internal roads laid. 

The company's Managing Director Richard Evans confirmed its commitment to open the service by the end of the year: "We pushed to start work in January as we know how important it is for our new service to be ready by the end of the year so that local bereaved families can be looked after close to home in beautiful surroundings."

One local funeral director who is delighted to see the plans taking shape is Paul King of Paul J King Funeral Directors, who said: 'It is very reassuring to see how hard everyone is working to complete the crematorium in time for the winter when it is needed most."

The crematorium design. (Photo: LHS Designs)

In recent years, many busy crematoria have begun offering cut-price direct cremations, where mourners are not allowed to attend and the deceased is cremated without a ceremony. 

The trend has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were encouraged to stay away from funerals.

While Maldon Fields will provide the choice of direct cremation, its Managing Director Richard Evans wants to make holding a dignified funeral and cremation service the natural choice for the bereaved: "Families need to be given the chance to have a traditional funeral service again – where they can individually design the funeral in a place where there is space, time and a beautiful setting close to home, surrounded by friends and family.

"I still feel it is essential that people gather together to mourn someone they have loved rather than opting for a direct funeral where there is no certainty when and where the funeral will take place."

The proposals for the crematorium include a two-storey crematorium building with a ceremonial hall, memorial garden and access from the A414.

Results of a survey carried out by Elegy in 2021 indicated that over nine out of ten residents believe there is a need for a new crematorium to serve the district.