MINISTRY OF JUSTICE News Release (015/09) issued by COL News Distribution Service. 5 February 2009

The site for a new prison in Wales was announced today by Prisons Minister David Hanson.

The chosen location is the Dynamex Friction site near Caernarfon in North Wales.

This follows an extensive four month consultation on a shortlist of four sites, which ran from August to November 2008.

Although the site has been selected, the timing of building the new prison has not yet been determined. The current prison capacity programme already includes additional prison places in Wales as a result of the planned expansion of HMP Parc in Bridgend, South Wales. However, Ministers have decided that NOMS should also acquire a suitable site in North Wales.

The decision takes into account comments from the consultation, demand for prison places, site characteristics, location, planning policy, and the views of the local planning authority.

Negotiations are underway with the site's owners and we are submitting an application for outline planning permission shortly.

David Hanson said:

"I am very grateful for all the comments that have been received since the publication of the shortlist in August. This is an important announcement for the people of Wales. A new prison would help bring considerable economic benefits to this part of Wales as well as providing much needed additional places for us.

"We will open preliminary negotiations with the owners of the site, and we will also prepare a planning application for submission in respect of the new prison in consultation with Gwynedd Council."

Bluefield Caernarfon Ltd., the current owners of the site, said:

"Following a lengthy evaluation process and an open consultation exercise, the Ministry of Justice have today indicated that the former Dynamex Friction Site at Caernarfon represents their preferred location for additional prison capacity in Wales.

"Bluefield Caernarfon Limited recognises the unique nature of the site and the economic importance of this proposal to the town of the Caernarfon and the surrounding area. Bluefield Caernarfon Limited indicated during the consultation process that it would be willing to enter into positive discussion with the Ministry of Justice should they deem the site appropriate for a prison and should Gwynedd Council be supportive of such a proposal at this location.

"The development of a prison at this site will have a positive economic impact on this area, providing widespread support for local businesses and suppliers and generating many jobs in the future."

Gwynedd Council Press Reaction

Prison Announcement – Gwynedd Council Response

Gwynedd Council has welcomed today’s announcement that the UK Government is to build a new prison on the former Ferodo Site near Caernarfon to serve North Wales.

Gwynedd Council Leader Councillor Dyfed Edwards said:

“Today’s announcement by the UK Ministry of Justice is excellent news for the whole of Gwynedd at this difficult time for our local economy.

“A prison on this site will provide a huge economic boost for Gwynedd in the medium term and will create hundreds of secure well-paid jobs for local people and an estimated £7million annual boost for the Gwynedd economy.  It will also consolidate and enhance Caernarfon’s status as a regional legal and justice centre.

“Local politicians on all levels – Westminster, Assembly and Council – have pressed hard for this development for a number of years and I am delighted that this hard work has paid off.  Our priority now is to continue to work closely with the Ministry of Justice and local partners to move this project forward.”

Gwynedd Council Chief Executive Harry Thomas added:

“Gwynedd council and its partners on the Gwynedd Local Services Board have lobbied hard to ensure that Caernarfon and Gwynedd gets this opportunity.  We look forward to working with the Government to ensure that we now maximise the social and economic benefits of the development for local people and businesses during what is a period of unprecedented economic uncertainty.”

“To this end, we have assured the Minister that the Council and its partners are ready to undertake the necessary preparatory work as soon as required and to prepare our local workforce so that local people are ready to make the most of the employment and economic benefits the prison would bring.”

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The factors identified by Gwynedd Council which support locating the new prison for Wales on the site of the former Ferodo factory near Caernarfon include:

- that it would provide a unique opportunity to establish Wales’ first bilingual prison that would provide bilingual administration and support and educational opportunities through the medium of Welsh for inmates in a county where 69% of the population speak Welsh

- the fact that there is currently no prison in the north Wales region. Approximately 800 adults from the region are incarcerated in various prisons in England with 120 of these being Gwynedd residents (figures as of the end of July 2008)

- the prison could also provide a much needed facility for the region’s young offenders and women prisoners

- a prison located in Caernarfon – which is convenient for both the A55 dual carriageway and the nearby Bangor Railway Station - would be within easy travelling distance for family members from all of north Wales wishing to visit inmates. Research shows that contact with family members and an inmates native community significantly reduces the risk of re-offending

- the opportunity to regenerate a brownfield site and create hundreds of urgently needed well paid jobs for local people on a former industrial site which employed almost 1,000 workers. Research indicates that the new prison would have the potential to contribute over £7 million to the local economy on an annual basis

- the fact that it would provide an opportunity to make use and develop the resources at Bangor University and the Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital located nearby at Bangor