Anger After ‘Super-Prison’ Granted Permission

There has been an angry reaction from campaigners after the government approved a new 1,700 inmate prison near Market Harborough.

Secretary of State Michael Gove overruled a planning inspector who recommended the refusal of the plan for land near HMP Gartree, which was also thrown out by Harborough District Council.

The only course of legal action now would be to launch a Judicial Review of the decision, which would be costly.

Diana Cook is chair of the Gartree Action Group, which campaigned against the jail:

How the new prison is likely to look from above

The Ministry of Justice says the £300m million is needed to cope with increasing inmate numbers and will boost the local economy by creating hundreds of jobs.

But the council and campaigners against the prison say the plan was ‘ill-thought out’, unsustainable and would harm the countryside.

These people live in villages near where the jail would be built and spoke to HFM:

Harborough MP Neil O’Brien campaigned against the prison and says he would offer support if any further legal action against it is planned in a bid to stop the buiilding:

Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council, is pushing for an early meeting with Mr O’Brien to review the decision and look at options.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said: “Today’s decision at Gartree is critical to delivering the 20,000 extra places we need to keep dangerous offenders off the streets and will boost the local economy by creating hundreds of new jobs.”