New leisure centre? No, it’s a jail
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With its bright white walls and floor-to-ceiling glass panels, this building looks like a new state-of-the-art leisure centre.
But this picture actually reveals how a new superprison in a village near Wolverhampton will look. The contemporary jail, which will house 1,620 inmates, is set to be built next to the current Featherstone Prison and Brinsford Young Offenders Institution. The prison was given outline planning permission in January.
It came despite protests from more than 400 residents desperate to block plans for another jail in their village.
And now a more detailed planning application has been submitted to South Staffordshire Council by main contractor Kier Build Ltd, detailing the appearance, landscaping and layout of the new prison.
As part of the plans, 17 new buildings would be created over a 46-acre site. The proposals include three main accommodation blocks, each four-storeys high. The remainder of the buildings range from one to three storeys. Work to create the new Category B, medium security jail is due to begin later this year. The new jail, off New Road, will create around 1,200 jobs.
Only two of the planned three X-shaped accommodation blocks will be built by January 2012, catering for 1,140 prisoners, because of a shortage of funding. The Ministry of Justice said the third block would follow when cash is available.
South Staffordshire District Council spokesman Jamie Angus said: “The previous application was for outline consent which included details and access. These plans outline the layout, landscape and general appearance.”
A public consultation has now been launched, giving people the chance to voice their views before September 18. The plans will go before members of South Staffordshire Council’s regulatory committee in the autumn. People can comment on the proposals at the council offices in Wolverhampton Road, Codsall, where the prison plans are available for viewing. The parish council will meet to discuss the plan next Thursday.
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