MoJ revives plans for mega prison at rural heart of James Cleverly’s Essex constituency: Officials want to go ‘full steam ahead’ on huge prison for at least 1,700 inmates despite Home Secretary’s ‘concerns’

The Ministry of Justice has revived shelved plans to build a mega-prison in Home Secretary James Cleverley’s constituency, according to internal government emails.

MoJ officials say they want to go “full speed ahead” with plans to build a prison designed to house at least 1,700 prisoners in rural Braintree, despite “concerns” raised by Mr Cleverley and his constituents.

Local residents in Finchingfield, next to TV chef Jamie Oliver’s £6 million home, have written to the government calling on them to oppose the plans, arguing it will lead to increased traffic congestion, endanger wildlife and undermine local heritage.

The Home Secretary also told residents that, following consultations, he had expressed his “own concerns” to justice ministers about disruption to road infrastructure. announced back in 2021.

Residents believed the plans had been scrapped for good following the appointment of MP James Cleverley as Home Secretary this year.

If the plans go ahead, category B and C prisons could be built. on 800 acres of former RAF Wethersfield AFB, just two miles from Finchingfield.

A computer rendering of the proposed mega-prisons in Wethersfield.

A general view of the picturesque Essex village of Finchingfield in 2021, where houses sell for an average price of £425,000.

James Cleverley (pictured on December 12) said he “endorsed many of the views expressed to me regarding the narrow rural roads in the surrounding area”.

In an email dated 9 November, a Ministry of Justice spokesman referred to (Secretary of State for Leveling, Housing and Communities) Michael Gove’s decision to delay the construction of two super prisons “once again”.

“This means we now have an even greater need to move full speed ahead at Wethersfield – and as stated, we already had that move with the announcement of the development of new prison sites,” the official said, according to emails obtained by The Telegraph under Freedom of Information Laws.

“I know there are some areas of potential conflict between our plans—I would appreciate it if our teams could resolve those issues as quickly as possible,” the official said.

A Home Office source also said that the Home Secretary was not “opposed” to the plans as he was a member of the government; A source told The Telegraph he could not be involved as home secretary due to a possible conflict of interest.

Umno said he “endorsed many of the views expressed to me about the narrow rural roads in the surrounding area.”

During the initial consultation period, the prison was seen as an opportunity for the region, providing employment, training, construction skills development and local spending.

The plans say the proposals are “very different” from older prisons and better suited for inmates and staff working in the community.

The consultation document said the sites would “provide safe, decent and secure prisons”. They will help prisoners change their behavior so they are less likely to reoffend upon release.”

But some residents quickly rejected the plans, concerned about the impact they could have on neighboring Finchingfield, a picturesque village where houses sell for an average of £425,000.

TV chef Jamie Oliver is among those who have written to the government calling on plans to build a new local prison.

The village attracts tourists from further afield who come to enjoy the quaint village life and historic buildings which served as the setting for the BBC series Lovejoy.

The area, rich in wildlife, has also been proposed as the site for two new beaver enclosures to help reduce local flooding.

The £350,000 project, funded by the Environment Partnership, will see two new enclosures built across 50 acres, 10 times the size of the original enclosure built in 2019.