These Are The Design Guidelines For A Crematorium In Malta Five Years Since Law Passed
A design policy for a crematorium to be built in Malta has finally been approved by the Planning Authority, requiring an outdoor space designated for the scattering of ashes with a garden of remembrance.
In 2019, a law was passed to allow cremation in Malta, however, the country spent years drawing up a spatial policy and design guidelines for building crematoria in Malta.
The newly approved policy states that crematoria which do not form part of an existing cemetery may only be considered if they are located outside the development zone but up to one kilometre from the boundary of the Principal Urban Area (PUA).
This should ensure that crematoria are located within the vicinity of the bulk of Malta’s population density limiting their proliferation into the rural countryside.
It also states that stand-alone crematoria will only be considered if they are located within a number of appropriate locations.
Amongst other sites, this includes Areas of Containment and sites located in ODZ which are covered by a valid development permission not related to agriculture, animal husbandry, and/or similar rural development.
The policy identifies a number of sites where proposed standalone crematoria will not be permitted – these include sites of ecological importance and 300 metres from a ground-water protection source.
Every crematorium should have a front-of-house area of not more than 500 square metres, intended for the parking of the hearse and ceremonial vehicles; an indoor ceremony building which should not exceed a footprint of 500 quare metres and a height of 7.7 metres, and an outdoor space designated for the scattering of ashes with a garden of remembrance.
The open spaces and the garden of remembrance must be suitably landscaped with trees, shrubs and flowering and must provide a dignified and humane funerary space with walkways and water features. Lighting must be kept as minimal as possible.
The cremators must be equipped with the best available filtration and abatement technology systems to the satisfaction of ERA and the Superintendent of Public Health, and these are to be maintained to the best of standards. Electric cremators would also be preferred, as they reduce the carbon footprint and can be offset by RES installed on-site.
In case of ceasing of operations as a crematorium, for a continuous period of three years, all buildings and structures shall be demolished at the expense of the landowner/operator and the whole site shall be rehabilitated to an environmentally acceptable natural state.
In Gozo, a crematorium should be located around the Rabat and Xewkija area.
Families have had to pay thousands to get their loved ones cremated and while the approval of this policy is a step forward, it does not mean the service will be offered anytime soon.
Back in 2021, Former Health Minister Chris Fearne had announced that a crematorium would be launched “in the coming months”. Soon after, an application for Malta’s first crematorium was submitted by Johann Camilleri – the earmarked site is near Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery and spreads across a 7,638 square-metre plot.
However, nothing has materialised and there seems to have been no update to the status of this application.
Lovin Malta has reached out to the health ministry and the planning authority to discover the status of this application as well as whether any others have been submitted.
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