A NEW crematorium is set to be built near Thirsk after councillors approved proposals this week.

Hambleton District Council’s Full Council gave the green light to the plans to develop a facility for the district – and were told the sale of the 21.8 acre site to the west of Busby Stoop is almost complete.

Councillors had been recommended by cabinet colleagues to give the go ahead for the project and agree that £250,000 be included in the capital programme to fund design, surveys and site assessments needed to reach a planning submission and contractor appointment.

Council Leader, Mark Robson, said: “The site had been under wraps because we hadn’t completed the sale until last week.

“But I can now tell you it is to be on land at Busby Stoop close to the existing pet crematorium and has good links across the district as well as to the main A1 and A19 roads.

"This project is a completely new direction for the council but will be providing an essential service to the people of Hambleton who currently have to travel some miles out of the district, and often endure a considerable wait for appointments, before they can say goodbye to their loved ones.”

Cllr Robson added that work on detailed plans will now begin with a further report expected to be put before Hambleton councillors early in 2020.