Traffic Chaos Fears As Detailed Plans For Super-Prison Revealed

There are fears of traffic chaos after detailed plans were revealed for the building of a £300m  ‘super-prison’ near Market Harborough.

Documents show over 1,000 vehicles a day will travel to and from the site at Gartree during the peak periods of the construction, which will take just over four years.

The Ministry of Justice has submitted the ‘Reserved Matters’ plans to Harborough District Council, after the government gave the go-ahead for the 1700-inmate jail last year.

That was despite the council and a planning inspector rejecting the plan and mass opposition from residents living in villages nearby.

District councillor Jo Asher, who represents the area on Harborough District Council, told HFM she has serious concerns:

Computerised image of how the prison buildings are likely to look

The prison will be built on land about the size of 13 football pitches, adjacent to the existing HMP Gartee.

The details plans show fourteen buildings will make-up the jail including seven four-storey house-blocks, each holding 245 male prisoners.

The Ministry of Justice says whilst there are expected to be around 1,100 additional vehicle movements per day at the peak of construction, the majority of which will be cars and vans and the average is expected to be around 500.

It adds consideration will be given to the programming of vehicular movements and the timing of deliveries, to reduce the impact on the local highway network.

A spokesperson told HFM: “We are embarking on the largest prison building programme since the Victorian era, creating 20,000 modern places to lock up dangerous offenders for longer.

“The impact on highways was rigorously tested during the planning appeal and the local highway authority said it was acceptable.

“The prison is vital for keeping the public safe and we will minimise disruption to residents as much as possible during its construction.”