Funeral director blasts plan to build one of UK's biggest 'corpse factory' that could hold 700 dead bodies

Funeral director blasts plan to build one of UK's biggest 'corpse factory' that could hold 700 dead bodies A plan to bring bodies from across the North East to a York business park has prompted objections from residents and a local funeral director, in what would be one of the UK's biggest mortuary A funeral director fears a proposed mortuary capable of holding up to 700 bodies could become a “corpse factory”. Pure Cremation has submitted plans to convert a former telephone exchange at York Business Park, in Nether Poppleton, North Yorkshire, into a mortuary with capacity for up to 700 bodies. The company says it would become its main facility for the North East, but the proposal has drawn dozens of objections. Among those opposing it is Martin Rowley, 64, who runs Rowley & Sons Family Funeral Services in York. He questioned whether staff could provide adequate care on such a large scale. Martin, who is also a Conservative councillor for the Osbaldwick and Derwent Ward, said: “When we take deceased loved ones into our care, most of the bodies will be fine. But others will break down or start to decompose quickly, and require specialist care. “How can so few staff realistically look after so many bodies and ensure they are kept in good condition.” Plans for the 37,673 sq ft building show racks stacked five coffins high, along with external cooling units, a specialist procedure area and an operational base. The unit sits near a martial arts gym, nail salons and dog groomers. Martin said: “Would you want your loved one to be kept in a mortuary among the remains of 700 people? Serious questions have to be raised about this practice.” Pure Cremation provides direct cremations, where a person is cremated without family present or a formal funeral service. Martin said his objection was to the scale of the proposed mortuary. He said: “I’m not questioning their service, rather the industrial scale of the facility. The service a funeral director offers with a direct cremation isn’t quick or simple like Pure Cremation makes it out to be.” He added: “There is a time and a place for unattended direct cremations - but the increased industrial scale they are suggesting with this new site is just very disturbing. All I see this site as is an inhumane conveyor belt or factory - loved ones deserve respect.” Residents have also objected to the application, with some describing the proposal as “horrific”. Liberal Democrat councillor Anne Hook raised concerns about its effect on nearby businesses and hotels. In an objection letter, she said: “People will not want to work or stay so close to such a large mortuary, and I expect there will be a reluctance for businesses to move into the estate when units become empty.” Other objectors raised concerns about traffic. Under the plans, the facility would operate around the clock, storing bodies collected from homes, care homes and hospices before they were sent elsewhere for cremation. Bodies could be kept there for up to four days. The site would be closed to the public and monitored by CCTV. Pure Cremation said the operation would be dignified and discreet and to a similar facility it runs on a business park in Knutsford, Cheshire, which it said had generated no complaints. The company’s plans stated: “Pure Cremation occupy a similar premises on a business park in Knutsford, Cheshire, no complaints or adverse impact are reported from that site. The whole operation is dignified, quiet and discreet.” O’Neill Associates, acting on behalf of Pure Cremation, said the proposal would have a negligible effect on traffic and noise. York Council has yet to decide the application