Villagers fight prison car park plan

More than 70 letters of objection have been sent by residents

Villagers in the west of Northamptonshire are fighting plans to extend a nearby young offenders institute.

Managers at the Onley Young Offenders Institution, on Northamptonshire's border with Warwickshire, want to extend a car park on to playing fields used by local youngsters.

Residents on the Onley Park Estate fear the plans would not only swallow up more land, but would create more traffic and increase road safety dangers for children.

More than 70 letters of objection have been sent by residents to Daventry District Council to try and prevent the plans going ahead.

Identical application

Catherine Lomax, chairman of nearby Barby Parish Council, said the prison should be considering other areas for its expansion.

"There was an identical application back in 2001 which was bitterly fought by local people and that was turned down.

"There are no new circumstances which would mean there should be a change to the situation now.

"The Prison Service owns over 100 acres of land in Onley and there are other non-contentious sites available."

The parish council had suggested the institute could share a new car park with Rye Hill Prison, which is also on the Onley Estate.

Planners at Daventry District Council were expected to refuse the application on Wednesday night was expected to lie with the government if the Prison Service appeals.