Issue - meetings

Cabinet received a report on Buckinghamshire Council’s consultation response to the proposed new prison at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Grendon/Springhill in Grendon Underwood.

On 2 December the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) launched a public consultation on ‘The New Prisons Programme’ which outlined their proposal to build a new prison to house up to up to 1680 additional prisoners in a category C resettlement environment in Buckinghamshire. Appendix 1 to the report set out the Council’s draft response to the consultation. This had been formulated by seeking input and views from relevant departments across the Council as well as local councillors. Feedback from local residents and key partners had also been taken into consideration.

Cabinet were in support of the draft response to the Government consultation, as set out in the Appendix 1, agreeing to enhance the section on the environmental impact and review the wording in the labour market and housing affordability section. 

RESOLVED: That the draft response to the Government consultation, as set out in Appendix 1, be agreed and that responsibility for submission of the final response, incorporating any further changes after the Cabinet meeting, be delegated to the Corporate Director (DCE) in consultation with the Cabinet Member/Leader of the Council.

Cabinet received a report on Buckinghamshire Council’s consultation response to the proposed new prison at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Grendon/Springhill in Grendon Underwood.

On 2 December the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) launched a public consultation on ‘The New Prisons Programme’ which outlined their proposal to build a new prison to house up to up to 1680 additional prisoners in a category C resettlement environment in Buckinghamshire. Appendix 1 to the report set out the Council’s draft response to the consultation. This had been formulated by seeking input and views from relevant departments across the Council as well as local councillors. Feedback from local residents and key partners had also been taken into consideration.

The Cabinet noted that a large number of objections had been received against this proposal including from the Parish council, local schools and neighbouring villages. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have stated that they would consider the consultation responses before submitting a planning application. Concerns fell into two areas; the proposed location of the prison which was not appropriate and the impact on local residents and communities.

The proposed location of the prison:-

• On the site itself there was concern about the scale of the proposal and if it was built would be one of the third largest prisons in England and Wales; it would vastly increase prisoner numbers and vastly increase staff numbers of up to 5-600 coming to the area. This was a rural location on greenfield land.
• The proposal showed six/seven tower blocks located on top of a hill at this site five storeys high with the additional services required. In a recent MoJ meeting the prison was described as of urban design suitable for an urban setting. Therefore, this was inappropriate and the buildings would be difficult to screen.
• A car park would be required for 500 cars and the proposal included a football pitch on the lower end of the site. This was on a ridge and furrow field with historical interest and was very close to the community of Springhill. With the car park and building there would be light pollution and significant noise issues with the cars coming in and going at different hours with staff shift patterns.
• Environmental protection – the proposed location would be in open countryside with significant wildlife. The Council for the Protection of Rural England have objected on environmental grounds including concern regarding the closure of footpaths. Cabinet Members were referred to a series of photographs.
• This prison was suitable for a brownfield development close to an urban area.

The impact of local residents and communities: -

• HS2 was already impacting on this area with considerable vehicle movements, mud on roads and operatives working in the area. East West rail was also crossing this area, which was supported by the Council because of its connectivity, but making it marks on the area with problems arising from construction. So there were already two huge infrastructure projects in a rural area.  If this prison proposal went ahead  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7