A new crematorium fit for the 21st century will offer webcasts for mourners unable to attend a funeral.

Services for loved ones at the proposed memorial park in Chalk could be watched by friends and relatives thousands of miles away.

The Messenger exclusively revealed plans for a new crematorium a few weeks ago.

More details were revealed at an exhibition held by Mercia Crematoria and the Co-operative Funeralcare at Chalk Parish Hall last week.

The partnership wants to build on land off Gravesend Road in Chalk, next to St Mary the Virgin Church.

Describing it as a crematorium fit for the 21st century, they hope to include a chapel with views of the Thames Estuary, a cemetery for traditional burials of all faiths, a memorial garden for ashes, and a woodland area for natural burials, with graves marked with trees or plaques.

Mourners will have access to a library of more than 3,000 pieces of music for services, and a car park will have more than 100 spaces.

Making use of the latest technology, services could be broadcast over the internet.

Colin Rickman, for the Co-op, said: “Someone is given a unique code, which is secure, so someone can dial in from Australia and remain part of it.”

He said the impact on the surrounding environment played a crucial role in their plans.

He said: “This site is a 27 acre ploughed field and, contrary to what people believe, it actually destroys the natural habitat.

“By this design, consulting with ecologists and landscapes specialists, we’re bringing in wildlife areas and enhancing the hedges and woodland, which attracts natural wildlife back. He said great care had been taken over the carbon footprint of the building, adding: “It’s as environmentally friendly as you can possibly get.”

Canterbury-based Clague Architects designed the site, with the building made to look like a farmstead to fit in with the surrounding village.

The nearest crematorium for Gravesend residents is 12 miles away at Blue Bell Hill near Chatham with another 17 miles away in Maidstone.

Mr Rickman, former head of funerals for the south east of England for the Co-op, had a consultancy role in the development.

He said:“ I was trained as a funeral director, so I have managed this area.

“I know that the local funeral homes have an average waiting time for cremation from anything from 15-22 days from time of death, which is not nice for families.

“When we did our research we found out that Gravesham and the council are running out of space.

“In the next couple of years they’re not going to be able to bury anyone in their local community.”

He added: “We’ve taken everything into consideration and we’ve looked at the local plan and it all fits the needs of the area, so I don’t really see why we won’t get planning permission.”

Visitors were given questionnaires at the exhibition. Out of the 86 responses, 62 people were supportive of the plans, four were against and 20 were unsure.