Crematorium plan a hot issue

Funeral directors Terry Longley and Sons have applied to Hawke's Bay Regional Council for a permit to operate a crematorium.

A planned crematorium is causing a stink among some Havelock North residents.

Leaflets are being dropped around the village claiming that a new cremator will pollute the air. "This is detrimental to our lovely village and will add pollutants and diminish our air quality," the anonymous flyer states. The Cooper St site is close to shops, restaurants, bakeries and businesses.

Funeral director service Terry Longley and Son has applied to install a new cremator at its Havelock North premises.

If it gets the go-ahead it will be the third crematorium being built in the Hastings district.

An Australia-owned chain of funeral directors is planning a new crematorium and funeral home neighbouring the Hastings District Council-owned Hastings cemetery and crematorium.

Terry Longley and Son managing director Shann Longley said the business was in the initial stages of working through a resource consent process to install a smokeless cremator and was starting to talk with community stakeholders.

He was disappointed a flyer filled with "inaccurate information" had been sent out to "completely misrepresent the project". The flyer claims cremators reduce only smoke and smell, but do not filter pollutants beyond that.

"All cremators smoke at some point and considering what they are burning this is unacceptable," the flyer states.

Mr Longley said the plan to install a smokeless cremator at a light industrial-zoned premises was in line with what was normal practice for funeral services across New Zealand.

The new cremator was an American model, the Matthews Powerpack II smokeless cremation system - the latest in cremation industry technology.

One of its features was complete combustion of smoke. It would be fully compliant under the Resource Management Clean Air Act. The cremator had been seamlessly installed in many business and light industrial-zoned areas. Taupo and Hamilton crematoriums had schools nearby and in Masterton's main street a cremator was sited between McDonalds and Burger King and in Wellington's there was one in the central business zone.

Mr Longley said there was a growing demand for funeral homes to have crematorium services on site as part of offering complete funeral care and the process to install one at Longley and Son has been well researched over several years.

"We have operated in Hastings and Havelock North for 50 years. We have built our reputation on trust, respect and care and we are looking forward to working positively with local businesses and those who are interested in this project."

The business would keep locals informed of its plans. The resource consent would be publicly notified. It had already met the Hastings District Council, its crematorium board, and Te Taiwhenua o Heretuanga to organise a hui with local iwi. It will be advertised in the next few weeks.

"I am personally happy to meet with anyone who would like to hear more about our proposal, and my door is always open," he said.

Locals had asked Hastings District Council member Wayne Bradshaw about the planned crematorium. If it was publicly notified, concerned residents could have their say, he said.