Robertson Construction Yorkshire and East Midlands has commenced work at Heaton Crematorium

The new design and build facility will include a main and ancillary ceremony hall, crematory and ancillary equipment, a committal room, plant and administration facilities and will be situated on vacant greenland bound to the North, East and South by Northcliffe Golf Club with Bingley Road to the West.

Duncan Reeves, operations director, Robertson Construction Yorkshire and East Midlands, said: "We look forward to working with Bradford Council as their contractor of choice to support its Bereavement Strategy through the delivery of this sensitively designed facility.

"We will be engaging with the local supply chain wherever possible, and through our community impact programme will be seeking to create local targeted employment opportunities to help support the local economy and the Bradford and Leeds City region."

Designed in line with the Council's Environmental and Sustainability Strategy and the National Standards of Emissions, energy will be captured and reused within the building. Once in operation, mercury and nitrogen oxide pollutants will be removed to improve the facilities environmental credentials.

The saw tooth roof profile of the building will be offset with external landscaping including the creation of a reflection garden.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: "This work is the latest step in our strategy to create a modern, sustainable and environment-friendly bereavement service for the people of the district.

"It is a significant investment in future bereavement services operated by the local authority.

"We need to progress these works due to the age of the existing facilities which are working well beyond their recommended life span and which do not conform to modern environmental standards.

"We want to provide practical, sympathetic, convenient and pleasant surroundings for people when they pay their last respects to their loved ones."

The facility will replace nearby Nab Wood Crematorium which is no longer fit-for-purpose and is due to open early 2023.

The project was a Single Stage D&B Tender and procured via the City of Bradford Contractors Framework.

Bradford Council's Bereavement Strategy has been implemented to upgrade and enhance existing service and facilities and will include the new crematoria, the refurbishment of Oakworth Crematorium, which will also include the installation of mercury filtering technology, and the already completed extension of the Muslim burial ground at Scholemoor, estimated to be around £24 million in total.

Pictured (left to right): Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Executive Member for Healthy People and Places; and Sean Armitage, project manager, Robertson Construction Yorkshire and East Midlands