PLANS for a new ‘mega jail’ in the county have been refused.

Bucks Council rejected an outline planning application for a new Category C prison in Grendon Underwood, submitted by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

The plans had been met with fierce opposition receiving nearly 500 public objections, as well as from dozens of local authorities.

Bucks Council voted unanimously against the scheme, finding it to have a potentially “overriding negative impact” in terms of sustainability, heritage, and the environment.

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It also felt the prison’s scale would “irreparably alter” the rural and historic landscape.

Had it been approved, the new “resettlement” jail would have been built next to the existing Grendon (Cat B secure) and Springhill (Cat D open) prisons, off Springhill Road – and covered up to 67,000 sqm.

The new prison was also being considered in light of government targets for 10,000 extra places across four prisons in England (two in the north, two in the south) to meet population forecasts for the next 10 years.

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Cllr Alan Turner: “Buckinghamshire Council’s Strategic Sites Committee has…unanimously voted against the planning application for a new Category C prison at Grendon Underwood.

“After careful consideration, the committee felt that the combined effects on the local area in terms of sustainability, heritage and the environment would have an overriding negative impact. There was also a feeling that not enough consideration has been given to alternative sites which could be more suitable for such a facility.

“Whilst the committee acknowledges the efforts made by the applicant for offsetting some of the concerns raised during the application process, the overarching sentiment is that the scale of this proposed development would irreparably alter the nature of this rural and historic landscape.

“Taking all factors into account and giving fair consideration to all viewpoints, our decision goes in favour of the officer recommendation to refuse this planning application.”

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