Plans for new Category B prison in Leicestershire submitted

The new prison would be built on farmland just south of HMP Gartree

Plans to build a new prison for up to 1,715 inmates have been submitted as part of government efforts to increase capacity in England.

The proposed Category B facility, in Lubenham, Leicestershire, would be for prisoners typically serving sentences of four or more years.

With courts resuming cases after lockdowns, a sharp rise in demand for prison spaces is anticipated.

A council is expected to make a decision on the development next year.

According to plans submitted to Harborough District Council, the prison would be built on the land directly south of the existing HMP Gartree, also a Category B facility.

The farmland to the east of Welland Avenue would be developed to include seven accommodation blocks.

There would be training facilities on-site to allow inmates to study and learn new skills.

A public consultation on the plans will run until 15 October.

The proposed facility would hold 1,715 inmates typically serving sentences of four or more years

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said concerns over the proposals have been raised by residents of Lubenham and the Gartree Estate.

These are mostly about increased traffic, the impact on house prices and the loss of green spaces.

The facility is expected to be one of four new prisons built across England by 2026.

It would house prisoners from all areas of the country, so the central location is considered preferable.