Jails plan more beds

The Prison Service has submitted plans to Chorley Borough Council for Garth and Wymott prisons near Leyland.

Garth is applying for two extra accommodation blocks and Wymott one.

A spokesperson for the prison service said: "The applications are at a very early stage. We are always looking at ways we can develop existing prison sites.

"We are asking the council what is possible for an effective and forward looking prison estate."

The spokesperson would not release individual prison population figures.

Chorley Borough Council development control manager Mike Gee, who is handling the application, said: "I believe it is the case that the prisons are looking to increase their capacity.

"This is not a normal planning application. They are consulting us for our approval and will ask us for our comments.

"We have publicised it locally and the comments will be set out when it goes to committee on March 5."

He added: "If anyone from the local area has any comments then they should write to us at Chorley Town Hall."

Chorley Borough Councillor Doreen Dickinson, whose ward covers the two prisons and who is also a member of the prison liaison panel, said: "I don't think people here will be very keen for the prisons to be extended.

"We don't like the prisons being near. We feel we are more likely to be broken into by people going to visit their friends in prison - although that is difficult to prove I certainly don't think it helps."

Wymott was opened in 1979 as a category C prison which has facilities for vulnerable prisoners - these can include suicide dangers and sex offenders. It has an operating capacity of 809.

Garth is a category B training prison offering courses for prisoners to train in a certain trade and was opened in October 1988.

It had a residential unit housing 120 opened in July 1997 and has a capacity of 653. Current figures indicate there will be more than 73,000 in prison in the UK by July this year - almost 10,000 over the system's capacity.