Plans for new open prison at Featherstone scrapped by Ministry of Justice
Plans for a new open prison on the site of a former munitions factory near Wolverhampton have been shelved by the Ministry of Justice, it can be revealed.
Ministers want to build a new prison in the West Midlands as part of Boris Johnson's plan to spend up to £4 billion on providing 18,000 extra prison places.
The old Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) site in Featherstone, South Staffordshire, had been identified as a potential option, partly due to its close proximity to three other prisons.
However, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said that following an investigation the site had been deemed unsuitable and that other options were now being explored.
The decision has been welcomed by South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson, who said residents had been spared the prospect of having criminals "roaming free on their doorstep".
Part of the ROF site has been earmarked by Staffordshire County Council for a major industrial zone with the potential to create in the region of 2,500 jobs.
Explaining the decision in a letter, Mr Buckland said: "The Ministry of Justice has been considering options to deliver a new Category D open prison to serve communities in the West Midlands.
"The site search identified a number of options, including Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) Featherstone.
"These options were investigated to determine of the sites were viable and, following consideration of the facts around ROF Featherstone, it was decided that it would not be a suitable site to deliver a new open prison as part of the current programme of prison expansion.
"We are continuing to explore options to increase the number of prison places across the prison estate."
Mr Williamson, who is also the Education Secretary, said: "People in the Featherstone and Coven area would have been so negatively impacted by having an open prison right in the heart of their community, with criminals roaming free on their doorstep.
"It would have also had an incredibly detrimental effect on residents around Bushbury and the north of Wolverhampton, bringing a real sense of fear and concern.
"The idea of using the land for an open prison rather than for creating high quality jobs in manufacturing would have been a real disappointment for many."
The sprawling site ROF produced munitions during the Second World War. It was later taken over by BAE Systems and part of its 158 acres is now taken up by Oakwood and Featherstone prisons, and HMP and YOI Brinsford.
The MoJ had previously considered plans for an open prison in South Staffordshire in 2012, when HMP Oakwood opened.
