Overcoming challenges
SMD director, Moomith Ullah, explains that despite meticulous planning, there were unforeseen supplier issues during the construction phase which presented delays to three areas of the building, all of which were on the critical path. He said: “It was essential that we delivered the completed project on time for our client, so through a collaborative team approach, an alternative building system was carefully selected to mitigate delays.
“The team ensured that the affected areas were protected from the weather which allowed internal trades to progress, and we accelerated the works to ensure that the key dates for completing these crucial areas were maintained. An important milestone was the installation of the specialist crematorium plant and equipment, which could not be delayed, so we pulled out all the stops to guarantee that commissioning of this equipment was on time.”
SMD’s ability to mobilise additional resources without compromising health, safety and quality was an important asset.
Sustainability was embedded at every stage of the project, while balancing the functionality of the scheme. Working in collaboration with consulting engineer, CPW, solar arrays and heat exchangers were installed to reuse waste heat generated from the cremator for heating the building.
The lake stores the site’s rainwater for reuse, and natural materials such as FSC-certified European oak and Accoya solid wood were specified as ecologically appropriate materials with high quality finishes. Daylight is maximised in the design to create a calming atmosphere and enhance the sustainability.
Helen Konstantinidi, capital projects programme manager (retired) at CBC worked closely with the team and said: “We chose SMD because they were able to give us examples of work they had undertaken at a similar project, a mosque, and although ours was a secular facility, we wanted that quality and craftsmanship. We knew this was a special place and it’s truly breathtaking. SMD absolutely delivered and the architect was so delighted that SMD shared their vision for the quality of the project.
“…It felt very special…”
“The whole workforce had that same vision, and on each visit to the site, everyone from the site workers to the management were working towards the same high-quality space, you could see they understood the nature of the project and wanted to give their best work. It felt very special.
“There were problems, but the whole team worked together to achieve the best outcome. All with the same aim and ‘can do’ attitude.”
Award-winning facility
Decorative internal and external timber cladding and detailed masonry and stonework features all combined to create a calm and peaceful place for remembrance with the project winning several important accolades including:
- Winner The Good Funeral awards, which recognises innovation, sustainability and excellence judged Oakfield Gardens Crematorium as the Crematorium of the Year, 2025 with ‘every aspect of the facility leading the way in sustainability’.
- Finalist National Building and Construction Awards, ‘Project of the Year £10m-£25m’ category – a recognition of the project’s thoughtful design, environmental sensitivity, and community focus.
- Finalist London Construction Awards Excellence in Sustainability – ‘Project’ category.
Kelvin Taylor, crematorium manager said: “I was involved early in the project and saw lots of progress in a short time. Being involved early means that I really do know the building. The hand over was very smooth and SMD made sure we knew everything we needed to run the building efficiently.
“Our crematorium is amazing – It’s such high quality…”
“Our crematorium is amazing – It’s such high quality that many people are surprised it’s a council facility. Every member of the SMD team and their subcontractors were really helpful and proactive and very nice people to work with. I know the Council is really happy with it – I’ve heard so many positive comments from colleagues.”
Community use
The grounds provide not just space for mourners, but footpaths are available for community use and as part of SMD’s social value activities, the company contributed a commemorative plaque and donated acer trees to the memorial garden.
“…a pragmatic approach…”
Otis Roberts, of Otis Landscape Associates said: “As always there are challenges when constructing new facilities, especially on an innovative project like this. However, SMD helped to overcome each situation with a pragmatic approach, without hesitation, to find a solution to meet the designer’s and client’s needs.”
Sustainability matters
As with all of SMD’s projects, sustainability was an important consideration. Any unused materials were recycled where possible, such as redistributing top and sub soil around the site. Power use was monitored, and local labour was used where possible, with the aim of contributing to the local economy.
During the works, as part of SMD’s commitment to supporting local organisations, the company worked closely with the Milton Keynes food bank project, supporting the community through food aid, and a donation was made to the Mayor’s Community Fridge which is used to fund community initiatives in the neighbouring village of Flitwick.
Despite the remote location of the site, the team did all it could to ensure that the works didn’t impact the neighbouring businesses or the Centre Parcs holiday village at Woburn. Through regular newsletters and project updates, neighbours, utility providers and CBC were kept up to date with any disruptive activities such as road closures, diversions or increased traffic volumes, which were all kept to an absolute minimum.
Moomith Ullah concluded: “This was an exemplary project where we drew on our experience to create an important, high quality community asset, the SMD way. We worked closely with our colleagues and client to overcome any challenges, liaised with the community to ensure we had minimal impact during the works, and added social value to the project by supporting local causes.”
