By 
THE latest stage in the long-running Omagh crematorium project could cost £840,000 – even before work on the proposed facility begins.
Planning permission for the crematorium at Greenhill Cemetery was first granted 13 years ago.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has allocated £6m for the construction of the crematorium, but a final decision on when work will begin has still to be agreed.
In a new update to the crematorium plans, the council is currently preparing to initiate a procurement process to establish a contract with an Integrated Consultancy Team (ICT) to progress the crematorium plans.
The estimated value of the ICT contract is £700,000 excluding VAT or £840,000 including VAT.
The contract will run from April 2026 to December 2028.
Prior to initiating the tender process, the council has launched a ‘pre-market engagement process’ to explore the level of interest among companies in taking on the project.
Any interested companies have been asked to complete a questionnaire by November 28.
When it was first proposed, the Omagh site was set to become the first crematorium in the North outside Belfast.
However, facilities have since opened in Antrim and Newtownabbey, as well as one over the border in Cavan.
The Omagh project remains part of the local council’s Capital Plan Forecast for 2025 to 2030.
It previously faced criticism for involving Derry City and Strabane District Council and Mid Ulster District Council in the crematorium plans.
However, the other councils are no longer involved, and Fermanagh and Omagh council is now taking on the project independently.
