There are many reasons why the council has decided to operate a bereavement centre from the lakeside at Mepal:
The council wishes to provide good value and easier access to cremations and burial services for residents in East Cambridgeshire. It is estimated that within a 30 minute travel time of the Mepal site there is an annual need for 1355 cremations. Following a competition appraisal and an analysis of usage of current and planned crematorium, it is expected around 500-700 cremations will take place every year at the Mepal site, along with approximately 20 burials.
The unique ecology of the site means it has attracted many endangered species. These range from a rare pond plant, to bats and fieldfares.
Since 2005 the site has been designated a County Wildlife site. Operating a bereavement centre from the site enables the council to develop it in a way that protects and enhances habitats for wildlife.
The council is working with The Wildlife Trust to ensure endangered plants and animals, which have moved in since the site was last used and now restrict its potential for development, are protected and enhanced.
Many of the materials being used in the build and landscaping are recycled, including recycled plastic waste used for cladding, and a bund of earth which was extracted during the building of Angel Drove Car Park in Ely. This will be used to create an area for planting native trees and wildflowers.
The cremator is one of only a handful in the country to run on electricity, meaning it will be able to utilise green energy from the National Grid.
Electric cremators release around 90% less carbon than a conventional gas cremator, supporting the council’s aims to become carbon neutral.
In a bid to make the site net carbon zero, the council is also actively seeking grants to add more solar panels.
The project was initiated to investigate the best value for money option for meeting the future demand for cremations and burials in East Cambridgeshire, and as a new potential income stream to support the council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy.
Once completed, the bereavement centre is expected to bring in £3 million of extra revenue over 10 years to support the council’s budget.
The preferred contractor has also committed to bring in an additional £2.25 million “social value” to the district through the creation of local jobs through the build phase, volunteering, and using local suppliers and supply chains.
Following an arson attack and the closure of the outdoor centre, the council has been open to ways it can breathe new life into the site. It worked cross-party to try to secure a new operator to continue leisure use at the site, but despite huge efforts, the only provider that showed interest decided it was not viable. Ecology surveys carried out at the site have now confirmed it to be of significant ecological interest, which in turn means any commercial development of the site also needs to protect and enhance the wildlife that has made it their home.
Over the years the site has been a target for antisocial behaviour, including two arson attacks. The first of these, which took place in December 2016, destroyed the main buildings, caused the closure of the outdoor centre, and could easily have led to more catastrophic consequences. Doing nothing would require the council to pay for the continued provision of expensive security arrangements.