Gumley Villagers Say New Prison Would ‘Desecrate’ The Area

Villagers in Gumley are the latest to voice their objections to the plan for a massive new prison near Market Harborough.

They say the building of the 1,700-inmate jail on land adjacent to HMP Gartree will ‘desecrate’ the area and cause traffic problems.

Gumley residents are opposing the building of the new prison   Pic: Andy Carpenter

John March, Chairman of the Gumley Parish Meeting, said: “The staff numbers quoted for the new prison will mean extra vehicle pressure on our narrow roads at shift turnover times. Many staff use our village road now so this will get worse.

“A new super prison would desecrate the area and change the character of the village, turning Gumley into a commuter rat run. The impact would be widespread and deeply damaging to the area.”

Fellow Gumley resident Penny March added: “I have had two cats killed on the road through Gumley village, how long will it be before it’s a child or a person? Yes, it could have been an ordinary motorist but if you stand on the pavement at either end of the working day you can see prison officers in their uniforms driving too fast through the village.”

Both Lubenham and Foxton Parish Councils have already lodged their objections to the building of the prison.

Gumley residents are opposing the building of the new prison  Pic: Andy Carpenter

The deadline for people to comment on the Ministry of Justice’s plan is Sunday – Harborough District councillors will then consider it.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson told Hfm: “We listened to the views of the local community before submitting a planning application and welcomed their comments.

“No final decisions have been made.”