A FUNERAL company wants to build a new crematorium on the outskirts of a village.

Mercia Crematoria Limited has applied for planning permission to build the facility on farmland on the edge of Coundon, near Bishop Auckland.

The Oxfordshire-based firm believes a new crematorium is needed in the area to serve communities across Wear Valley and Sedgefield.

At present, bereaved families from those areas have to travel to Durham or Darlington crematoria.

As those facilities are running at full capacity, there is often difficulty obtaining preferred times and dates for services.

Mercia hopes to install wider cremators than at existing sites, to accommodate larger coffins.

Before submitting the planning application to Wear Valley District Council, the company considered 14 sites around Bishop Auckland and Spennymoor.

But it says only the proposed site, north of Collingwood Street, was deemed suitable.

The 13 alternative locations were either earmarked for other developments, not for sale, had poor access or were too small.

Company planners also favoured Coundon as it is central to the anticipated catchment area, has good links to the A689 and public transport and the land is suitable for the development.

The proposal is being supported by the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-operative Funeral Service.

The company feels it would ease the suffering of bereaved families to have a new facility nearby and help relatives who face having services conducted as far away as Nottingham.

However, some residents have objected to the plans, fearing extra traffic will cause road safety problems.

They also object to the loss of view, impact on the countryside and fears over emissions.

Planning officers say the single storey building will have minimal impact on the area. They recommend councillors approve the plan when it goes before the development control committee on Wednesday.