Site developers say the ambitious £1.5 million scheme will lead the way in Britain's crematorium industry and will include a range of futuristic features such as an environmentally-friendly mercury abatement plant and a range of memorial rockeries, gardens and landscaping.
The development, on two acres of derelict sports ground on Newark Road, is being led by Ollerton and Boughton Town Council in partnership with the private sector crematorium specialists Memoria.
Unveiling the ambitious project during a special ceremony on Thursday Chris Johns, Operations Director for Oxford-based Memoria, said the crematorium would put Ollerton on the map.
He said: "This is a big investment and a great honour for our company to win the contract. This complex will be the first in the UK to be fully equipped with a mercury abatement facility which will make the emissions released into the environment much cleaner.
"It will be a very futuristic site and will help to lead the way in the crematorium industry. This is a very exciting project for everyone involved and a big life for the town."
And his views were echoed by the Rev Richard Kirton, of Ollerton and Boughton Parish, who told Chad the state-of-the-art complex would help make memorial services across the district run more smoothly.
"This facility will make services run much more smoothly for people across the area and will help to eliminate a lot of uncertainty and inconvenience. Having to go over to Mansfield is very inconvenient, especially in the rush-hour, and this is a very welcome development.
"This will be a much more accessible and modern than Mansfield Crematorium and has many nice features such as gardens of reflection. It is a very significant day for the town," he said.
The ground-breaking project is expected to be open for business as early as November and provide five long-term jobs.