Next stages of planning for new prison approved – with work set to begin near Harborough this year

A computer generated image of how the house blocks will lookA computer generated image of how the house blocks will look
A computer generated image of how the house blocks will look
Further details in the planning application for a new ‘super jail’ at Gartree have been approved.

Last night (Tuesday) councillors approved proposals by the Ministry of Justice relating to the appearance and layout of the new prison.

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They also agreed authority will be given to a designated council officer to approve planning conditions relating to specific issues like drainage and environmental impact.

Work is set to begin on the £300million Category B men’s training prison later this year.

The new site – the largest Category B prison in England - will hold up to 1,715 men across seven housing blocks and be around the size of 14 football pitches.

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It will include two light and heavy industrial workshops where some 750 prisoners can take part in work or education. There will also be a ‘care and separation unit’ and a car park with some 640 spaces accessible from Welland Avenue.

The prison will be surrounded by a huge steel fence, topped with barbed wire. The houseblocks where inmates live are expected to reach around 17 metres high and will contain three accommodation wings and one ancillary wing where teaching, healthcare, cardio rooms, food and laundry are provided. They will each house around 240 prisoners.

The prison plans were unanimously turned down by Harborough District Council in 2022. A public inquiry held by a government planning inspector then recommended the application by the Ministry of Justice by refused.

But Secretary of State Michael Gove gave the green light to the prison.