Fourth village joins the battle to stop a new £300 million 'superjail' being built near Harborough

A fourth local village is taking up arms in a bid to stop a new £300 million “superjail” being built near Market Harborough.

Great Bowden Parish Council is backing fellow parish authorities at Lubenham, Foxton and Gumley as the battle to block the controversial 1,700-inmate male prison going ahead at Gartree picks up pace.

Councillors in Great Bowden said they are vowing to fight the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) blueprint to build a huge new jail beside the current prison at Gartree for a whole catalogue of reasons.

“Given the importance of Foxton Locks as a heritage asset and tourist attraction, the proposed development within the vicinity of that heritage asset would not maintain or enhance the local and regional role and significance of the locks, but instead may actively discourage visitors to them," said the parish council.

“The proposal, therefore, causes harm to this heritage asset which is not outweighed by any public benefits.

“Consequently, the proposal is contrary to Harborough Local Plan Policies GD8 and HC1, and the National Planning Policy Framework (particularly Paragraphs 12, 47, 199 and 202).

“The proposed site does not occupy a sustainable location and, therefore, does not accord with Harborough Local Plan Policies GD1 and BE1(2), and the National Planning Policy Framework (particularly Paragraphs 12, 47 and 85).”

They said the “superjail” would have a “greater impact on the openness of the greenbelt and the purpose of including land within it than the existing development on that part of the site that is previously developed”.

“The benefits associated with the proposed development would not clearly outweigh the resulting harm,” stressed Great Bowden council.

“The proposed development would have an unacceptable impact on highway safety by virtue of the increased traffic movements and inadequate highway infrastructure contrary to paragraph 109 of the National Planning Policy Framework and policy BE 1 of the Harborough Local Plan.

“The potential noise nuisance and disturbance associated with the vehicular traffic movements that would be generated throughout the use of the development would result in a harmful impact on the amenity of residents in the locality contrary to policy BE 1 of the Harborough Local Plan.”

The council said the planned new penal establishment would trigger more noise, more traffic and possibly more flooding while threatening to overwhelm the existing local sewage system.

The MoJ also wants to expand and upgrade the 57-year-old high-security prison at Gartree by about 250 inmates to take it up to about 900 prisoners altogether.

Cllr Diana Cook, chairman of Lubenham Parish Council, and Cllr Adele Rogers, chairman of Foxton Parish Council, are both vowing to “fight tooth and nail” to block the proposed Gartree superjail.

John March, chairman of Gumley Parish Meeting, is also opposing the enormous initiative while Harborough MP Neil O’Brien is urging local people to make their views on the explosive issue known to Harborough District Council, the local planning authority.