PLANS FOR NEW PRISON UNVEILED
CATEGORY B MEN’S JAIL WOULD BE BUILT ADJACENT TO GARTREE
PLANS have been unveiled for a huge new prison near Harborough which would house about 1,700 inmates.
Set to be a Category B training prison, it is expected it would hold long-term and high-security prisoners.
If given the go-ahead, the jail would be built next to HMP Gartree and would open up 600 jobs in the area.
The proposal is part of the government’s New Prisons Programme, which has committed more than £4 billion to make “significant progress” in creating 18,000 additional prison places across the prison estate by the mid-2020s, according to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
A spokesman for the MoJ said: “We expect there will be an increase in demand for prison places as the activity of our courts system continues to ramp up to full operating capacity following the national restrictions due to the pandemic.
“The increasing numbers of police, in line with the Prime Minister’s commitment to recruit 20,000 additional officers, is also likely to contribute to a higher prison population.
“We therefore believe creating 18,000 additional prison places will help to mitigate pressure on prison places in England and Wales in the coming years.”
The jail would be made up of seven separate prison blocks, with each due to hold about 240 prisoners.
Every block would have four floors, each housing 60 prisoners.
The modern plan means offenders will live in smaller groups, which the MoJ said would create a “sense of community”.
“This will lead to less violence and better relations with staff,” the spokesman said.
“Overall, it means a safer and more secure prison. Each floor will have room for group activities and men will be able to meet for training, prayer, fitness and to talk to each other.”
Most cells will be for one prisoner, but some will allow two prisoners in one cell and will contain a shower and toilet.
The Ministry of Justice is also considering separate options to expand HMP Gartree, although plans are still at an early stage and decisions on whether to proceed with them has not yet been made.