New Crematorium, Holyhead Road, Wergs

The former Wergs Hall Estate was selected as the site for a new  crematorium  in South Staffordshire.  Scarp was appointed to provide landscape and heritage appraisal and landscape design services for this detailed planning application (14/00838/FUL).  The site provides a distinctive setting for the crematorium but, being located within a ‘Historic Landscape Area’ and close to the Grade II listed Wergs Hall, has numerous landscape and heritage sensitivities that are desirable to conserve.  

Scarp prepared a heritage statement for the site and its surroundings to assess the historic significance of the Site in relation to the historic Wergs estate, to guide the preparation of a detailed master plan and to assess the potential effects of the scheme on the historic landscape and setting of a Grade II listed building.  A landscape and visual appraisal was also undertaken and the findings of both work streams were used to inform the development master planning exercise. 

The proposed single-storey crematorium building has a strong horizontal emphasis and has been set back deep within the site with a well-vegetated visual backdrop. A range of contemporary landscape forms and features would complement the elegant, high quality design of the building, help create a strong sense of place and help meet the needs of crematorium visitors.  An open parkland character is proposed, using a spiral arrangement of trees, hedges and pathways to help seamlessly integrate the building and landscape. The historic estate boundary wall, adjacent tree/shrub belt and tree avenue would all be restored.  The historic carriageway along the tree avenue would be re-created as a memorial avenue with timber and stone gabion gateways.  An existing pond would be enlarged and enhanced as a landscape feature. 

Brick Kiln Covert would be rejuvenated and a woodland management plan implemented to help secure its long-term future.  Small clearings have been created as memorial spaces within the covert, all connected by a network of informal footpaths.A large sculpture on the edge of the covert provides the focus for a carefully constructed view corridor from the Chapel.  A shallow water channel would connect the building and the sculpture set amongst mature trees. The landscape officer at South Staffordshire Council commented on the design proposals: “the proposals represent an excellent response to the site and its historic context” and “I consider this to be an extremely well-conceived proposal”.