Verdict expected on Aylesbury Vale mega prison appeal

In late 2020 the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) put forward proposals to build a Mega prison on a greenfield site adjoining two smaller prisons in rural Buckinghamshire.

Now a decision is expected from the secretary of state on whether the prison will be approved, which could come as early as next Tuesday (6 June).

This was unanimously turned down by Buckinghamshire’s strategic planning committee in March 2022, a decision which reflected a huge level of local opposition both at the consultation stage when residents made around 3,000 strong submissions against a new prison, and during the planning process when 500 objections were submitted.

In February 2023 the planning inspectorate held a public inquiry in response to an MoJ appeal against this decision.

In addition to concerns about harm to the local area, experts on the running of prisons highlighted issues relating to prisoner welfare. The new building would be in an area of low unemployment where there are already 10 prisons within a 40-mile radius.

As such staff recruitment would be either extremely difficult or at a cost to other local prisons. The impact on prisoners of being housed in undermanned facilities are potentially very serious. The is site nine miles from the nearest train station, located in Bicester. The number 16 bus to Marsh Gibbon does stop outside the prison. But residents have argued more needs to be done to enable relatives to visit people completing rehabilitation at the institute.

And that the public transport options available to the prison are not sufficient.

On the basis of the arguments presented the affected parish councils fully expect the Inspector to recommend that the original decision to refuse permission should be upheld. This also accords with the unitary authority’s opposition to the proposal.

During the appeal process the application was “called-in’ by the Secretary of State for Communities and Rural Affairs Michael Gove. The effect of this is that the final decision no longer rests with the planning inspector and her assessment now becomes a recommendation which can be overruled by the Secretary of State.

The recommendation of the planning inspector does not become public knowledge until the Secretary of State has made his decision by which time the only recourse that remains is via judicial review.

The decision is imminent.

Buckingham MP, Greg Smith, said: “I have stood by my constituents in opposing this mega prison throughout. It is unacceptable for the state to add yet more construction misery on people already suffering under the building of the unwanted and unaffordable HS2. All that before considering the blight on the area, taking open countryside and farmland, and the fact existing prisons are struggling to recruit therefore there will be no one to staff a new prison. The moral and practical case against this prison could not be stronger.”

An MoJ spokesman told The Bucks Herald last year: “After careful consideration we have decided to appeal the decision to refuse planning permission for our new prison.

“We will continue to work closely with Buckinghamshire Council and the local community on our proposals.”

The application can be viewed online here.