Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council plans a feasibility study for a new crematorium as part of its cemetery services review. The study will assess viability, location options, costs and operations within the borough. Such a facility would mark the first crematorium in Northern Ireland beyond the greater Belfast region.

The council manages 15 cemeteries, several requiring expanded capacity. Preliminary assessments already occurred at Orchard Cemetery in Richhill, Lurgan and Dromore cemeteries to evaluate extension possibilities. Orchard Cemetery, operational since the 1990s, faces ongoing space shortages. Local churches report similar pressures.

A draft cemetery strategy, prepared following demographic analysis and facility reviews, includes updated management rules on data handling, health and safety, maintenance and memorial testing. It addresses future demands across the borough.

Recommendations call for greater stakeholder involvement in service delivery. A four-week public consultation begins March 16 with an online survey open until April 13 via Citizenspace. A drop-in event is set for the afternoon of March 18, open to councillors, clergy, funeral directors, monumental masons and residents to discuss proposed changes.