HMP Gartree: Plans to increase category B prison by 247 inmates

HMP Gartree detains about 640 inmates serving long-term or indeterminate sentences

The government has announced plans to expand a category B prison with a new 247-bed block.

Residents near HMP Gartree, in Leicestershire, have been asked for their opinion on the proposals for the prison, which formerly detained Moors murderer Ian Brady.

It is part of Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to increase England and Wales's prison capacity by 18,000 inmates.

The government says the block could create up to 100 new, permanent jobs.

In a consultation document, the MoJ said it anticipated "a planning decision from the council in early 2022".

The site, where prisoners deemed a high risk are serving sentences, has capacity currently for about 640 inmates.

The proposed expansion comes under the government's £4bn plan to increase prison spaces, with 5,000 new places coming from expanding or refurbishing jails.

A sharp rise in demand for prison spaces is anticipated as courts resume cases delayed due to lockdowns.

The government has also proposed building a new prison on farmland just south of HMP Gartree

The document said: "The house block expansion would create approximately 100 jobs.

"These jobs would include prison officers, nurses, teachers, office staff, and so on.

"This means local people would have the chance of a career in the criminal justice system."

The proposal comes after plans to build a new prison for up to 1,715 inmates in Lubenham were submitted to Harborough District Council.