Kier awarded contract for £9.6m 'state-of-the art' crematorium in East Yorkshire

Work is due to start this winter on the project, which includes two halls, a woodland and a memory walk.

The council says the crematorium will answer the needs of a growing population in Holderness , but there have been concerns it will add to congestion at the nearby bottleneck in the village of Preston.

It is due for completion in 2023.

Council leader Jonathan Owen said: “The new crematorium is a much-needed facility for Holderness and will address the unacceptable length of journeys many local residents currently face in travelling to a crematorium at what is already a stressful and challenging time. A more local, rural site will be ideal for the ever-growing population of Holderness.”

The council says there's strong support for the plans, with 93 per cent of residents who responded to a consultation in favour.

However leader of the Liberal Democrats, councillor David Nolan said they still had concerns about its financial viability, saying it was "all a bit finger in the air".

"If it's such a good idea why hasn't the private sector done it? I don't think the council should be in the business of opening and running a crematorium - it should be concentrating on the basics - social care, children's services and buses."

Concerns were previously raised that mourners could be left “distressed” if they got stuck in already busy traffic at Preston traffic lights.

The crematorium is earmarked for an agricultural field just off the crossroads around a mile out of the village, which some locals believe should be replaced by a roundabout.