Latest news with #UlnesWaltonActionGroup
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Residents' appeal against Lancashire 'super prison' plan fails
A high court judge has refused to allow campaigners to appeal against the development of a "super prison" near their Ulnes Walton Action Group opposed the building of the 1,715-inmate Category C prison in Ulnes Walton, on a site between Chorley and Leyland in their four-year battle to block the project ended with the judge delivering an oral verdict which has yet to be published in said their efforts had ended in "frustration and disappointment". The new jail, which will sit alongside neighbouring jails HMP Garth and HMP Wymott, will mean a combined total of 3,700 prisoners will reside in the area, outnumbering the population of Ulnes of the campaigners, Paul Parker, said: "There was a better alternative which the Ministry of Justice could have chosen alongside an industrial estate in Oldham." He added: "We are naturally disappointed as a group but I'm sure local residents will be devastated over the next few years with the construction traffic followed by operational traffic which everyone agrees is not sufficient."South Ribble MP Paul Foster told Local Democracy Reporting Service he was also disappointed and there remained "a number of substantial issues" in connection with the roads."There are now no further legal challenges permitted and so it is my job – along with the local planning authority – to work closely with the MoJ to ensure the outstanding issues are resolved and we make the best of a bad situation," he Prime Minister and local government secretary Angela Rayner gave the green light to the prison back in move went against the recommendation of a planning inspector, who had chaired two public inquiries into the inspector had concluded local roads would not be able to cope with the volume of construction traffic required to build the jail. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Appeal against plan for third jail in Ulnes Walton fails
A legal bid to overturn the government's plan to build a village's third prison has in Ulnes Walton, near Leyland, already live near HMP Wymott and the high security jail HMP Garth near to refusal to grant leave to appeal against the plans means that the village is now one step closer to being home to more prisoners than local residents. Campaigners from the Ulnes Walton Action Group (UWAG) said they would continue to follow the the remaining legal option left for them to try to overturn the proposal. They had sought to launch a judicial review after Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner decided not to follow the recommendation of an independent planning inspector, and gave the green light to the planned category C came after inspector Tom Gilbert-Wooldridge said for a second time that the proposed jail should be refused permission, mainly over safety concerns about the impact of construction vehicles on local roads during the five years it would take to build. 'Last avenue' After considering UWAG's appeal attempt, a High Court judge has now concluded Ms Rayner – acting in her capacity as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government – made a lawful and reasonable the group has one final chance to block the jail plan by applying to renew its application for judicial Curtis, from UWAG, said: "We always said, right from the start, that we would take this as far as we could go."We promised the local residents that, and so that's what we continue to do."But this is the last avenue. If we're unsuccessful, then this will be the end of the road." Prison population The renewal process will see barristers for both UWAG and the government present their case at an oral hearing before a judge, in contrast to the written submissions on which the previous leave-to-appeal decision was Curtis says she remains "hopeful" the jail – which would act as a resettlement facility for men nearing the end of their sentences – will not get off the ground in the government's chosen if it does, there will be around 1,000 more prisoners living in Ulnes Walton, bringing the total to about 3,700, compared with about 2,600 villagers. Detailed reasons for the judge's refusal of UWAG's initial judicial review bid were not published.A date for a future hearing is expected to be set in the coming days. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
