Two of the country’s biggest funeral operators are at loggerheads over opposing bids to build crematoriums in north east Kent.

Memoria has its sights set on opening a venue outside Faversham, while the Westerleigh Group wants to launch a site just 10 miles away in Herne Bay.

The rival schemes - both years in the making - aim to end long journeys for mourners by tapping into the “compelling need for additional crematoria capacity in the area”.

But with two similar projects coming forward, it is unlikely there is sufficient need for both.

The rivalry has seen both firms criticise each other as they strive to prove their plan is the best.

Memoria’s vision for Faversham is to open a £6 million base in Hernhill off the Thanet Way at Staple Street - a site which it says will provide services within a 30-minute drive for 74,000 people.

The proposals for the “tranquil” new crematorium and memorial gardens, near to the large Dunster House warehouse, have been submitted to Swale Borough Council.

Meanwhile, the Westerleigh Group, which runs 34 sites nationwide, is eyeing up a 14-acre plot off Bullockstone Road in Herne Bay.

Bosses say the plans have been years in the making and stress the new site, which is set to boast a 98-seat chapel, will provide services within a 30-minute drive for at least 90,000 people.

Adamant its proposal is better suited for the area, Westerleigh has lodged an objection against Memoria’s Faversham vision - stating the plans are “not robust” and include a “number of factual errors”.

It reads: “As the current operator of Barham and Charing crematoriums, we are acutely aware of the need for additional crematoria capacity to serve east Kent and address the capacity issues affecting the population catchments of Canterbury, Thanet and Dover.

“We have for the past few years been extensively engaged with the funeral directors that serve those areas and have identified Herne Bay as the most appropriate location to site a new crematorium.”

Faversham funeral directors Hogben & Partis have also criticised the Hernhill plans, saying the area has plenty of crematoriums and “an abundance of burial spaces”.

A number of villagers have raised fears a new crematorium next to Faversham Showground will lead to more traffic passing through the narrow roads of Staplestreet and Hernhill, and a dangerous build-up of queues coming off the Thanet Way.

However, Memoria has defended its project and taken aim at rivals Westerleigh for “clearly stating commercial interest in objecting to our proposal”.

“Westerleigh also have a successful history of campaigning against rival schemes in this area in a similar way,” a Memoria spokesman said.

“Back in 2013, they campaigned against a rival operator’s scheme at St Stephen’s Hill – less than three miles away from their current proposal at Bullockstone Road.

“The people of this area deserve a more accessible crematorium to be proud of.”

“We have been looking for suitable sites in this area of Kent since 2012 so this application is the culmination of eight years’ hard work in finding and securing an option on the best site to sustainably serve this area.

“The point is that our application has been carefully considered and will fill a genuine gap in service that currently exists in Kent.

“The people of this area deserve a more accessible crematorium to be proud of.”

Memoria says it will “carefully assess” the Herne Bay proposal, which was this month submitted to Canterbury City Council, before deciding whether to lodge a formal objection.

Read more: All the latest news from Faversham

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