InvoCare launches Braunstone crematorium development application

A rural community south of Grafton is set for a new crematorium, according to an application lodged with Clarence Valley Council. Here is what neighbours can expect.

Funeral service provider InvoCare wants to spend just over $500,000 on a new crematorium it hopes to build on a cattle farm south of Grafton.

It has lodged a development application with Clarence Valley Council to operate a cremator three days a week on land leased from owner Daniel Kelly on Armidale Road at Braunstone.

If approved, a farmhouse will be knocked down and replaced with a Colorbond shed that will house an Austeng Joule cremator and an office.

There are no plans for a memorial space or gardens at the site and all ash produced in the facility is proposed to be packaged on site and collected by families.

Application documents say the cremator “achieves the absolute minimum smoke and emission in the minimum possible time, while using the least possible fuel”.

It says the average cremation time of 90 minutes exceeds all relative state and industry guidelines.

Planning documents also state the cremator will be well beyond an industry recommendation of 200m from neighbouring residences.

“The stack is located on the shed and the closest residences are No. 923 Armidale Road and No. 9 Ellis Road, both approximately 700m to the south,” the report states.

Liquid waste from cleaning the facility will go into the onsite wastewater system.

The proposed states Mr Kelly intends to continue using the balance of his property for cattle grazing.