Middleton cremator repair works to be completed this summer following public pushback

Thursday, 22 May 2025 12:47

By David Murphy

The chapel at Boarshaw Cemetery in Middleton

Repair works to the cremator at Middleton’s Boarshaw Cemetery are set to begin in late July, with cremations expected to resume shortly after.

Middleton’s cremator is due to be repaired this summer after being out of service for over eight months, following a wave of public feedback that led the council to reverse a proposal to mothball it.

The cremator at Boarshaw Cemetery has been non-operational since November 2024 due to ongoing technical issues. At a cabinet meeting on 11 February 2025, council leader Neil Emmott confirmed that the idea of decommissioning the cremator had been dropped in response to consultation with residents. Instead, urgent plans were put in place to fund and carry out the necessary repairs.

The £66,000 repair works are now scheduled to begin during the week commencing 28 July. The funding forms part of a wider £600,000 investment earmarked for the site, which will also address long-term needs in line with upcoming environmental legislation.

Deputy council leader and cabinet member for climate change and environment, Councillor Tricia Ayrton, confirmed the work is under way and that future upgrades are being considered. She said, “The leader and I are working closely with our bereavement service to ensure the cremator is replaced by 2027 to meet stricter emissions regulations.

“We are also planning to enhance the site further, including expanding chapel capacity to accommodate 100 mourners, extending the canopy for shelter, and improving car parking facilities to better serve families across the borough.”

Due to new national rules expected in 2027 regarding mercury emissions, the existing cremator cannot be retrofitted and will eventually be replaced entirely. Extensive building modifications will also be required to install the new equipment.

Until the repairs are complete, cremation services following ceremonies at Boarshaw will continue to be carried out at Rochdale Crematorium. Boarshaw typically conducts between 400 and 450 cremations per year.