Campaigners criticise prison decision

Controversial plans for a new prison on the border of Chorley and Leyland have been given the go-ahead by the government.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has approved the development of the 1,715-inmate jail on land close to the existing Garth and Wymott lock-ups in Ulnes Walton.

In a decision made on her behalf by planning minister Matthew Pennycook, she disagreed with the conclusions of the planning inspector who chaired a public inquiry into the proposals. Tom Gilbert-Wooldridge has now twice recommended the scheme be refused permission – including over concerns about the impact construction of the prison would have on highway safety.

The initial bid to build the Category C facility – made by the Ministry of Justice – was rejected by Chorley Council three years ago.   The government appealed against that decision and a public inquiry sat to consider the matter during the summer of 2022.

The then Communities Secretary, Michael Gove, took the unusual step of ‘recovering’ the appeal – meaning he had the final say, having taken the inspector’s recommendations into account.

Mr. Gilbert-Wooldridge said the appeal should be dismissed, but Mr. Gove said in January 2023 he was “minded to” grant permission – if the highways issues highlighted during the inquiry could be overcome.

To establish whether or not that was the case, the inquiry was reopened in March this year and heard further evidence from the MoJ, Chorley Council and locals opposing the prison.

After considering the fresh submissions – which included a claim by a highways witness appearing on behalf of Chorley Council that HGVs could be travelling along the narrow Ulnes Walton Lane at a rate of one every 90 seconds during some periods of the prison construction –  Mr. Gilbert-Wooldridge’s again recommended the appeal was refused.

In a report published on Tuesday, he acknowledged that while new proposals to lessen the impact of the development on the local road network had “improved” the position since the first inquiry was held, “there remain unmitigated and uncertain effects that would exacerbate existing hazards and risk”.

To that end, he found that building the prison would “continue to have an unacceptable impact on highway safety” – and so would be contrary to elements of local and national planning policy.

Angela Rayner – acting in her capacity as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government – agreed with some of the highways issues raised by the inspector, but considered they would cause “limited harm”.

Highways officials at Lancashire County Council did not object to the revised road safety measures put forward at the reopened inquiry.

Local campaigners who have opposed the new jail since it was first mooted, said they were “extremely disappointed” by the decision – and were now considering whether there were any other legal options left open to them to challenge it.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Paul Parker, from the Ulnes Walton Action Group, said:  “At the second inquiry, the planning inspector has had a look at the renewed plans and decided [he was going] to recommend dismissal on road safety [grounds].

“I don’t know what the [Secretary of State’s] understanding is of planning or road safety matters – she has obviously got advisors – but she can then completely go against the independent view of the planning inspector.

“Now she has that right as a minister – but who would you trust?,” Mr. Parker asked.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been approached for comment.

The new Labour government has committed to the previous Conservative administration’s policy of creating an extra 20,000 prison places. An early release scheme was implemented for over 5,000 prisoners this autumn, as jails neared capacity.