Ulnes Walton prison: Government appeal over rejection of 'super jail'

The 1,715 inmate jail would be built near the Garth and Wymott prisons

The refusal of planning permission to build a "super prison" is to be appealed by the government.

Proposals for a 1,715 inmate Category C prison near the Garth and Wymott jails in Lancashire were rejected by Chorley Council in December.

The council said the combined prison population would outstrip the number of residents living in Ulnes Walton.

South Ribble MP Katherine Fletcher said she was "very disappointed" with the Ministry of Justice's (MoJ) decision.

More than 130 objections were raised to the original proposal, including concerns over building on green belt land, its impact on traffic and the overshadowing of the nearest residential properties.

In October, parents said it was "disgraceful" to move a bus stop used by schoolchildren within its grounds.

Conservative MP Katherine Fletcher told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the proposals needed to be "significantly adapted".

"I have been speaking to the government for several months on the need to, considerably, improve the proposals - especially with regards to site access and the increased burden it will put on our already congested roads," she said.

The MP said she had asked for an urgent meeting with ministers.

South Ribble MP Katherine Fletcher said the prison plans needed to be "significantly adapted"

Paul Parker, from the Action Against Wymott and Garth Third Prison group, said the prison plot was "in the wrong place" and that during construction it would be "severely disruptive".

The campaign group believes the plans do not fulfil half of the MoJ's own secondary-level criteria for selecting suitable spots for a prison.

Mr Parker said the site's access near Ulnes Walton Lane and School Lane would add another 2,000 vehicles to the 4,000 which currently use the country road each day.

A spokesman for the MoJ said the jail addition would create 643 full-time-equivalent jobs, £13m of locally-retained spending and a 20% net gain in the biodiversity of the site.

He added the department would work closely with the council and the community through the appeal process.

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