Action group to fight super prison

AN action group has been set up to fight any proposals for an American-style “Titan” prison on Warrington’s Omega development site.
A protest petition was also launched at a public meeting attended by more than 600 people at Whittle Hall last night.
So many people attended the meeting that people spilled out onto the car park.
The meeting was organised by borough councillor Kevin Reynolds and heard arguments from a wide cross section of interested parties.
Many residents were angry that the prison could undermine the “original promise” of Omega – to bring a high tech business park to the area.
Others were concerned about transport and infrastructure issues while others feared an increase in low level crime associated with such a huge development.
At the end of the meeting Coun Reynolds announced the setting up of an action group, petition and web site to fight the plans.
Two of Warrington South’s prospective Parliamentary candidates attended the meeting – David Mowat (Cons) and Coun Jo Crotty (Lib Dem) and spoke out against the scheme.
Mr Mowat said: “First of all, the concept of a prison of 2,500 inmates is wrong and has been condemned by everybody including the Chief Inspector of Prisons, and secondly the Omega site is quite unacceptable….the roads and infrastructure are unsuitable…… this proposed site is close to a large school and it’s just the wrong place….this is not ‘nimbyism’ – it’s commonsense.”
The prospect of a Titan “super prison” at Omega follows the Government’s request to commercial property consultants Lambert Smith Hampton to identify a site of about 50-acres in size in the North West which could accommodate a prison.
Omega qualifies because of its size – but it is understood it is unlikely to be shortlisted because it fails to meet other Government criteria.
The preferred option is likely to be a brownfield or old industrial site, well away from residential areas.