Plans for prison housing 1,700 men submitted
PLANS for a new prison have been submitted to a district council.
The category B prison would house up to 1,715 inmates.
Harborough District Council is expected to make a decision on the proposals by December 20. Public consultation on the plans will run until October 15.
The prison would be built on the land directly south of the existing HMP Gartree.
The proposed development area is divided by Welland Avenue.
The farmland to the east of Welland Avenue would be developed to include seven accommodation blocks, while the land to the west would remain open space available for public use and biodiversity.
As a category B training site, the prisoners would typically be serving sentences of four or more years. There would be facilities on site to allow the inmates to study and learn skills.
HMP Gartree has space for 700 prisoners, the majority serving life sentences.
The proposed development would come as part of the government’s plans to increase prison capacity in England.
As courts have resumed cases following the coronavirus pandemic, there is expected to be a sharp rise between now and 2026 in the number of prison spaces required.
In the early stages of consultation, concerns were raised by residents of Lubenham and the Gartree Estate, the closest homes to the site.
A total of 78 comments were received. These outlined concerns about increased traffic, the impact on house prices and the loss of green spaces used by those on the estate for recreational purposes. However, a transport assessment found there would not be any significant detrimental impact to the roads.
A further report found that, because of the existing prison, there would be no long-term impact on house prices.
A small pocket of land to the north-west of the Gartree Estate has also been identified as a potential recreational space for the estate.
Talks are continuing about developing this land to better serve the estate’s needs, with the possibility of playground equipment being installed. The prison would be one of four built across England by 2026. It would house prisoners from all areas of the country, so the central location is considered preferable.
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As a category B training site, the prisoners would typically be serving sentences of four or more years