Decision on controversial Gartree super prison near Harborough pushed back once again

A decision on the controversial Gartree super prison has been pushed back yet again.

A ruling on the 1,700-place prison to be built on land adjacent to the existing HMP Gartree site was originally meant to be announced in early April.

It has been hit by a number of delays, with a recent announcement stating a decision would be made by September 4.

Now, Harborough District Council – who rejected the plans before they were ‘called-in’ by the Government – has been told not to expect a ruling until Wednesday November 8.

A letter sent to the authority on behalf of Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said: “Further time is required to consider this case, and unfortunately it will not be possible to reach a decision on this appeal by September 4.”

Harborough District Council leader Phil Knowles said: “The case must now be so muddied and it needs to be accepted graciously this is not the right place for the prison and the time has come to look elsewhere.”

Campaigners against the prison say roads around the site are not considered suitable for a large increase in traffic.

But the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) argued public transport from Market Harborough would ease the burden of extra staff and visitors on the roads. However, Leicestershire County Council was then carrying out a review of subsidised bus services as it could not afford to keep them all running – with the route between Gartree and Market Harborough in the firing line.

Local MP Neil O’Brien said there could potentially end up being no public transport between the town and village and highlighted the issue of prisoner population numbers, which the campaign group ‘Gartree Action Group’ had noticed were lower than earlier forecasts.

Talking about the delay, the MP said: “While we all want this resolved, I guess the positive aspect of this is that they are going through all the extra evidence we provided properly, and we have at the very least prevented this from being rammed through on the quick.”