Decision on controversial prison in Harborough delayed 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 November 8.

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

“The Secretary of State will now issue his decision on or before Thursday 7 December 2023. We aim to issue to decision as quickly as possible.”

MP Neil O’Brien believes the Category B prison – which would be the largest in England - should not be built in Harborough.

He told the Mail: “It is true we need new prison space so that more criminals can get the proper sentences that they deserve. But there are many better sites for a new prison across the country. I will keep fighting this and fight it again in both public and private.”

Harborough District Council leader Phil Knowles added: “We now have another month to wait. Let’s hope it will be a month where the Secretary of State will come here and take a look for himself and see how unsuitable this site is or look at the evidence and decide it’s enough for them to say it’s the wrong place to build."

The council leader has also re-issued an invitation to the Secretary of State asking him to visit the proposed site.

In a letter to Michael Gove he wrote: “I still contend the site is the wrong site for this development. The planning committee refused the application and the arguments against this super prison on this site have been well presented.

“Secretary of State I wish to reissue my personal invitation to you to come to Market Harborough and see this site for yourself. I'm sure once you see the site it will help you to conclude this is not the site that should be used and to look elsewhere in the country for this super prison.”

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 campaign group ‘Gartree Action Group’ had noticed were lower than earlier forecasts.