Columbarium wall to store cremated remains coming to Antrim cemetery?

COLUMBARIUM walls to store ashes could be installed in cemeteries in Antrim and Carnmoney.

The issue was discussed behind closed doors at the Operations Committee of Antrim and Newtownabbey Council last month.

There are alreadydedicated Garden of Remembrance plots across a number of cemetery sites for the interment of cremated remains.

A report on the meeting said: "These plots provided families with a designated and maintained location for the burial of ashes and formed an important part of council’s overall bereavement services provision. Demand for Garden of Remembrance plots continue to be monitored to ensure that sufficient capacity is available to meet both current and future requirements across the Borough. Current projections indicated that there is a relatively good level of provision at Ballyclare Cemetery, with an estimated remaining capacity of 15 years, and at Mallusk Cemetery, with an estimated capacity of 10 years. However, capacity at Carnmoney Cemetery was considerably more limited, with approximately 0.4 years of provision remaining.

“In addition, there is currently no dedicated Garden of Remembrance provision within the Antrim/Belmont Cemetery, highlighting the need to consider future provision and capacity across the cemetery estate. Council currently provide two types of Gardens of Remembrance plots across its cemetery and crematorium sites. Within council’s cemeteries, cremated remains are interred directly into designated plots within the ground. At the crematorium site, cremated remains were placed within purpose-built niches above the ground. "As space is limited across all cemetery sites, the introduction of columbarium walls would provide council with a practical and sustainable approach to addressing capacity pressures within its cemeteries.

“Columbarium walls are specifically designed to accommodate cremated remains within individual above-ground niches and could provide a significant number of interment spaces within a comparatively small footprint. Their vertical design enables more efficient use of limited cemetery land and could allow underutilised areas to contribute to future capacity.

“Columbarium walls are available in a wide range of sizes, configurations and architectural styles, allowing the design to be tailored to the available space and character of each cemetery or crematorium site. Options could include traditional straight or linear walls, curved and circular arrangements, freestanding structures and bespoke feature designs, including geometric configurations such as star-shaped layouts. The structures could also be single or double-sided to maximise the number of niches provided within the available footprint. Each wall comprised a series of secure individual niches designed for the interment of cremated remains, with niches capable of accommodating up to four urns."

The minutes said that a range of indicative design options were circulated for, demonstrating the various configurations available and how these could be adapted to meet the individual requirements, available space and character of each site. The meeting heard that ouncil officers undertook an initial market-testing exercise to establish indicative costs for the provision of columbarium walls across the cemetery and crematorium estate. The indicative pricing included concept and detailed design, manufacture, construction, packaging and initial shipping of the structures. It was also noted that elected members were asked to note that these figures did not represent the full installed cost. Additional expenditure would be required for final delivery, offloading and positioning, foundations and associated groundworks, specialist plant and equipment, and any site-specific access requirements.

The minutes said: “The final cost of each installation would therefore depend on the design and scale of the structure, number of niches, site location, ground conditions and access arrangements. Full costs would be developed on a site-by-site basis before any scheme was progressed for formal approval.”

Current indicative costs identified through a market testing exercise were redacted, but focused on a 16-niche columbarium wall, capable of accommodating up to four urns per niche, providing a maximum capacity of 64 urns, a star columbarium design, comprising 120 niches and capable of accommodating up to two urns per niche, providing a maximum capacity of 240 urns, and a a circular-style columbarium wall, comprising 72 niches and capable of accommodating up to four urns per niche, providing a maximum capacity of 288 urns.

The minutes continued: “These options demonstrated the flexibility available in terms of design, scale and capacity, enabling future provision to be tailored to the specific requirements and available space at each site. Council currently provides columbarium niche facilities at the crematorium, offering families a dedicated and secure location for the interment of cremated remains. The existing columbarium provided two niche options to accommodate differing family requirements. The first option had capacity for up to three urns, while the larger option could accommodate up to four urns.

“The niches are currently offered on a 25-year lease arrangement, providing families with a dedicated memorial space for the duration of the agreed period. The current charge for a niche capable of accommodating up to three urns is £1,200, while the charge for the larger niche, accommodating up to four urns, is £1,600. Based on council’s current charging structure for columbarium niches, the potential income associated with each design option has been calculated.”

While the figures were redacted, the report continued: “These figures represent the potential gross income over the 25-year lease period and are based on full uptake of all available niches. Actual income would be dependent upon demand, the rate at which niches were leased and the final charging structure approved by council. These existing arrangements provided an established basis from which council could consider the future expansion of columbarium provision across its cemetery and crematorium estate.

“Any future proposals would also provide an opportunity to review niche sizes, lease periods and the associated charging structure to ensure that provision remained appropriate, sustainable and consistent across council sites.”

The minutes concluded: “Members welcomed the report and highlighted a number of issues for consideration within the business case process including benchmarking good practice in respect of niche lease periods, pricing and design. Following a comprehensive discussion of the report, the Head of Parks Operations thanked members for the feedback and noted that this would help inform the business case for the pilot scheme and updates would be provided to the Operations Committee as the project moves forward.”

It was proposed by DUP Dunsilly Alderman Linda Clarke and seconded by her party colleague Councillor Mark Cooper and agreed that officers proceed with the development of a proportionate business case to implement a pilot scheme for columbarium provision at Carnmoney Cemetery and Antrim/Belmont Cemetery. The business case will consider ;site suitability, design options, capacity requirements, capital and installation costs, projected income and future demand;, with a further report to be presented for consideration prior to any scheme being progressed.