Harborough MP and local councillors 'hopeful' that planning inspector will recommend against super prison

A public inquiry into a ‘super prison’ at Gartree is well underway.

The appeal by the Ministry of Justice is being held after Harborough district councillors unanimously voted against the decision earlier this year citing concerns about the impact of traffic and developing on open countryside.

There had also been some 364 objections amid fears over growing pollution, poor air quality and loud noise. A petition against the development has also received some 2,000 signatures.

But the MOJ argued the plans – for a £300million category B prison for 1,700 inmates - would bring great investment to the area. It would be built next to the current 57-year-old HMP Gartree near Harborough.

A planning inspector is now chairing the meeting to hear both sides of the argument for and against the prison.

She will then make a recommendation to the secretary of state, and a decision will be announced next year.

As the inquiry began last week a protest was held outside district council offices, which saw some 50 campaigners holding signs against the prison.

Member of Gartree Action Group, Kathrine Winterson, said there are already large prisons less than half an hour away in Wellingborough and Glen Parva and the area would be ‘saturated’ with another.

She said: “It is clear for all to see that this proposed prison is completely inappropriate in such a rural location.

“There is no logic of putting another huge prison at Gartree with the new super prison at Wellingborough and the new super prison at Glen Parva. It is short sighted to saturate one area with super prisons.

“Out of the six new ‘super’ prisons in the UK they are suggesting putting three of them in this area. There would be absolutely no hope of being able to fully staff the new huge prison.”

Cllr Phil Knowles backed her concerns and spoke at the inquiry to say building another prison would ‘turn this part of the midlands into the prison capital of the country’.

He also appealed to the inspector to personally take a look at the ‘rat run’ roads around the prison, despite two secretaries of state previously declining the invitation.

Cllr Knowles said: “I hoped prior to the hearing the current or former secretary of state – both who I approached – would have come to Harborough to see how inappropriate a super prison would be here.

“I am hopeful after all the evidence has been put forward the planning inspector will recommend the prison is not approved in this area.”

Harborough MP Neil O’Brien also gave evidence at the inquiry.

He told the Mail: "I was pleased to be able to give evidence in person to expand on the arguments against the prison which I made in my written submission.

“Overriding the local plan and the clear decision of our local councillors is bad enough, but would also mean the prison would end up in the wrong place without the infrastructure that is needed.

“I thought the Gartree Action group and council both did a great job in different ways of making the case against the prison and spelling out how people feel about it locally. I hope the planning inspector will listen."