Plans for a new crematorium for Maldon residents have been submitted, in efforts to cut the distance local families must travel to attend their loved ones' cremations.

Currently, residents must travel to Chelmsford Crematorium or further afield to Basildon and Colchester, which can entail a drive of 40 minutes or more.

Crematorium developer Elegy has now submitted a planning application to build a new crematorium on the land opposite St Margaret's Church, off Maldon Road, close to Woodham Mortimer, so that grieving families do not have to travel so far.

It follows a survey carried out by Elegy in which residents gave their support to the plans, with the results indicating over nine out of ten residents believe there is a need for a new crematorium to serve the district.

Richard Evans, managing director at Elegy, said: "The consultation with local residents and organisations has been very important to us and allowed us to enhance our plans.

"We were encouraged by the support that we received but we also realise how important it is to deliver on our promises.

"Our real work starts with the first funeral, and it is in our interest to create the most beautiful setting for them and to provide privacy to our neighbours too."

The crematorium would seat 100 people and hold a maximum of four funerals per day.

A spokesperson for Elegy said: "The new funeral venue, if approved, would finally provide a local choice for people in the district of Maldon, as well as the Witham area, so that they didn't have to endure the long drive to Chelmsford or further afield to Basildon and Colchester.

"Funeral directors operating in the Maldon area have confirmed that all of these choices involve a drive of 40 minutes or more.

"Chelmsford, the nearest crematorium, is also holding many more funerals, almost ten a day on average, than it was originally designed for in 1961."

The crematorium aims to be environmentally-friendly, with the latest filtration equipment and the use of renewable energy.

Mr Evans said: "It is our expectation that the crematorium will ultimately be carbon neutral, with recycled heat providing a significant renewable energy source.

"There will also be extensive tree planting across the site."

You can read resident Judy Lea's readers' letter on the plans here.