Read More
The government has proposed to construct a new crematorium at Wo Hop Shek Cemetery with an estimated cost of around HK$2.03 billion, aiming to have the new facility operational by 2032.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
The Environment and Ecology Bureau, together with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, have submitted a proposal to the Legislative Council, seeking HK$2.03 billion in funding from the Finance Committee to move the project forward.
If approved, the Architectural Services Department will oversee construction of a five-storey building on Site T5 of the cemetery. Plans include 10 modern cremators, six ritual halls, a mortuary, an ash storage room, six joss paper burners, and a temporary holding area for up to 60 coffins.
The facility’s operational design would be split across five levels. The ground floor would house the mortuary and loading and unloading areas. The first and second floors would provide cremation and electromechanical facilities, reception areas and administrative offices.
The third floor would be used for the temporary coffin holding area, while the fourth floor would accommodate the ritual halls and auxiliary facilities. Vehicular access roads would allow direct transport to the reception area on the second floor and the ritual halls on the fourth floor, with a dedicated staff access road serving the cremation facilities on the first floor.
Supporting facilities would also include automated guided vehicle systems for coffin transport, administrative offices, and dedicated loading and parking zones.
The Civil Engineering and Development Department will be responsible for building supporting infrastructure, such as a pumping station, water reservoir, and updated drainage, sewerage, and water supply networks to support both the new crematorium and the cemetery’s future needs.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department operates six crematoriums with 34 cremators currently, providing around 50,000 cremation slots per year. Officials noted that current capacity is nearing its limit.
The introduction of 10 new cremators is expected to reduce average cremation times from 90 minutes to 75 minutes, creating an estimated 21,600 additional slots annually to help meet growing demand.
Officials said the timetable is crucial because cremators across Hong Kong are nearing the end of their operational lifespans, with reliability issues, frequent maintenance requirements and shortages of replacement parts. The new Wo Hop Shek facility would allow the FEHD to phase out and replace aging units at other crematoria while maintaining service quality and meeting Hong Kong’s cremation demand through at least 2050.
