Plan to further expand new prison under construction

Planning permission has been submitted to add a further block

A new prison under construction could be expanded to accommodate 250 more inmates.

Builders are currently working on the new 1,700 capacity HMP Fosse Way in Glen Parva which is set to open by mid-2023.

But the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) wants permission to build an additional four-storey block for prisoners.

Oadby & Wigston Borough Council and Blaby District Council will consider the application later this year.

The plans also include a two-storey building for administrative use, a sports area and 80 extra parking spaces.

The prison site straddles the boundary between the two authorities, so both councils have to approve the plans before any work can begin.

The currently vacant northern section of the grounds is being considered for development.

The department secured approval in 2014 to build seven new blocks in this section of the site to house 320 inmates when it was the young offenders institution HMP Glen Parva.

Concerns raised

The prospect of the new expansion was first announced in August when the MoJ began a pre-application consultation with the neighbouring communities.

The concerns raised were similar to those brought up over the original HMP Fosse Way application, the MoJ said.

These include the impact on roads, noise and dust pollution affecting the neighbouring properties and the scale of the operation.

The move comes as the government aims to create 20,000 new prison places by the middle of the decade.