MORE than 200 residents turned out to voice their opposition against plans for a massive prison in Runwell, near Wickford.

Many of the crowd was left standing outside, as Runwell Village Hall was packed to the rafters with angry residents.

Opposition to the plans continue to grow, spearheaded by the recently-formed No Prison in Runwell action group, which has even acquired a “battle van” to raise awareness about the campaign.

Lance Millane, Chelmsford Borough Council member for Rettendon and Runwell, said the packed meeting showed the growing strength of feeling.

He said: “The majority of people are against this prison.

“It is going to be a blight on the village of Runwell.

“It is a little village and they are trying to put one of the biggest-ever prisons in the UK on green belt land. The local roads just won’t take it.

“The buildings alone they are proposing are going to be huge. They are trying to force the issue through.”

Mr Millane said the prison would be better sited on brownfield land at the Temple Farm industrial estate in West Hanningfield, near Chelmsford.

There it would be surrounded by businesses and factories, rather than blighting a residential area.

The Temple Farm site had previously been on a list considered by the Government.

The Ministry of Justice announced plans to build the jail, which will hold up to 1,500 inmates, on the site of the old Runwell Hospital last May.

Ray Ride, Chelmsford Borough Council’s ward member for Runwell, said the old hospital site – which was originally earmarked for new homes – should be used for sports facilities, high-quality residential development and parkland.

He added: “They will lose all of that if a prison goes on this site.”

A planning application has already been submitted to Chelmsford Borough Council.

The authority has not yet set a date for when a council committee will consider it.

However, a survey carried out by Runwell Parish Council has revealed a divide in residents’ opinions.

It carried out a survey in the village, questioning 1,200 homes.

Only 175 households responded and of those 62 per cent, or 70 homes were against the jail.

Of those questioned, 38 per cent, or 66 homes, were in favour of the jail.

Thirty-nine householders were opposed to both the prison and plans for 624 homes, which had previously been earmarked for the site.