Basildon RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos


Send us your news!


Prison announced for Wickford

5:10pm Tuesday 28th April 2009 in


WICKFORD will house one of five new jails in England and Wales.

Councillors and politicians were shocked after justice minister Jack Straw made the announcement yesterday.

Meanwhile, Canvey residents expressed relief the island will not get one of the prisons which can hold up to 1,500 prisoners.

Mr Straw said the site of Runwell Hospital in Runwell Road, Wickford, was one of five picked to house the modern, purpose-built institutions for adult male prisoners.

But Malcolm Buckley, leader of Basildon Council and ward councillor for Wickford Castledon, was outraged.

He said: “That is extremely disappointing.

“There has been no previous suggestion the hospital would be used for that purpose.

“Given the Government record of trying to put prisons into this sort of location, I am concerned about the safety of local people.”

Mr Buckley said the Government had never told the council of its plans.

He said the site had always been mooted for a new housing estate and he also fears it will drive down the quality of potential developers coming to Wickford.

Billericay and district MP John Baron, who has been pressing the Government for months to reveal the proposed sites, added: “All this Government talk about openness and transparency in politics is hogwash.

“Actions speak louder than words and here the Government has bought the land before consulting local residents, that is not a consultation.”

Ray Ride, Chelmsford borough councillor for Runwell, added: “We are extremely concerned because this is the first time we have heard about it.

“There has been no consultation and the impact on residents will be quite significant.”

However Castle Point MP Bob Spink was very pleased.

He said: “We have enough issues to consider without the threat of prisons in our community. We should not be building on our flood plain and the extra traffic and risks involved with prisons make Canvey totally unsuitable for such a scheme.”

Yesterday the Echo revealed how the Government had been considering five sites in south Essex – Runwell, two in Thurrock and two in Canvey – for a £350million Titan prison.

But the plans for three giant prisons were shelved on Friday in favour of five smaller ones.

Mr Straw said of the new prisons: “They will be safe, secure and effective in helping prisoners deal with their offending and develop the work, education and life skills they need to turn their lives around.

“These new prisons will neither be Victorian replicas, nor large warehouses.”

Comments(32)

Southendman says...
4:12pm Mon 27 Apr 09

1,500 inmates - well that should cover half the Essex criminal population! what about the other half? and where is that to be built?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

wickman says...
4:44pm Mon 27 Apr 09

Very nice could they build one also at crays hill & hove fields no i do not think so

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Winston Smith says...
5:33pm Mon 27 Apr 09

Yet more rubbish being dumped in Wickford. Basildon Council dumps its rubbish in Wickford, Essex Council dumps its rubbish in Wickford, now the Nu-Liebour parasite government are dumping their rubbish in Wickford.

I moved to Wickford in 1965, it was a lovely town with a thriving market and good schools. Then it was given to Basildon Council, who ever since have done their utmost to turn Wickford into a complete toilet.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

SARFENDMAN says...
7:12pm Mon 27 Apr 09

Not considering places like WINDSOR, RICHMOND and HENLEY then? Mmmm strange. I wonder why?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Stopathome says...
8:04pm Mon 27 Apr 09

Exactly how big does the Government think Wickford is? How much more building can we take?First all the hundreds of new homes, then a rubbish tip, along with all the lorries that will bring and now a prison.Obviously the people that make these decisions don't have to sit in traffic jams 7 days a week trying to get in and out of wickford. Still perhaps we should all give up our jobs and stop at home, because we surely wont be able to move past our own front doors soon, not in a car anyway !

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Grey hair of leigh says...
9:19pm Mon 27 Apr 09

Wickford eh! Well the residents of Southend can breath a sigh of relief for the time being. If the airport is run down that will be another big brown field site ripe for building. Social housing and lots of it spring to mind for this plot of land. Or shall we have an airport?????

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

evilc says...
10:36pm Mon 27 Apr 09

Why worry anything regarding Law and Order with this Socialist reforming Government will be a joke it will probably be a holiday camp colour pink.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

APR says...
10:41pm Mon 27 Apr 09

It's about time they did something with the hospital site. They've been talking about it for long enough.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

runwellresident says...
10:50pm Mon 27 Apr 09

What is now happening to the housing development which was passed for the Runwell Hospital Site? Are they being built next door to the prison-sounds lovely, i dont think! Then even more traffic to cause more chaos getting in & out of Wickford--what planet are these people on!!!!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Time says...
10:57pm Mon 27 Apr 09

runwellresident wrote:
What is now happening to the housing development which was passed for the Runwell Hospital Site? Are they being built next door to the prison-sounds lovely, i dont think! Then even more traffic to cause more chaos getting in & out of Wickford--what planet are these people on!!!!
Its been passed as a Prison?

Where most of them spend there time anyway!

Still S*** to live in wickford!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

rayleighgirl100 says...
11:10pm Mon 27 Apr 09

We all moan about not enough criminals being sent to prison, one of the reasons for this is that there is not enough space in them. I am pleased to see that we will have an other prison in Essex so at least more criminals can be locked away. I wish it wasnt in Wickford as its a small place, but the first idea was that it should be built on canvey but again they did not want it built there! Where ever it is built people would moan! There is Bullwood hall in Hockley but no-one even notices it. We need the space to lock these people up and that is paramount!!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Rantman says...
1:32am Tue 28 Apr 09

I dont suppose in these times of econmic woe, that a few quid could be saved in the building of the prison by not piping water and electricity to the cells, however im sure enough generosity could be found to provide a bucket per cell.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

APR says...
9:12am Tue 28 Apr 09

At least Runwell is out of the way, and will cause less traffic congestion as a prison, than it would as a housing estate.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

ridgeback1 says...
9:29am Tue 28 Apr 09

stop the world, im getting off! wickford used to be a green and pleasant place, now the last patch of grass is finally condemned. get me out of here...

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

wyvern678 says...
10:34am Tue 28 Apr 09

I really dont get the moaning. The Prison will only occupy the footprint of the existing hospital so what green land is being used up? The land around the Hospital is used by a Sports and Social Club as sports pitches etc and hopefully can continue to do the same.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Southendian says...
12:34pm Tue 28 Apr 09

I don't understand the moaning either. A touch of NIMBY in some of the comments. The old hospital site would appear to be ideal. The construction and running of the prison will bring jobs locally. Reading the negative comments, I imagine that few locals will be applying though.

Yes, Wickford did used to be a pleasant place. So did Southend and much of Essex. The trouble with living in the most populous county means more building and change, and that includes the prison.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

dufey says...
12:40pm Tue 28 Apr 09

Is what the council meant by investing in Wickford !!! This is the last thing the town needs. Anyone know how we can start to petition against this?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

gemgem23 says...
1:23pm Tue 28 Apr 09

God i would hate to have a prison near by..... says it all for wickford really. 1,500 inmates, well at least we can house a few of the criminals that are roaming the streets.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

gemgem23 says...
1:23pm Tue 28 Apr 09

God i would hate to have a prison near by..... says it all for wickford really. 1,500 inmates, well at least we can house a few of the criminals that are roaming the streets.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

gemgem23 says...
1:23pm Tue 28 Apr 09

God i would hate to have a prison near by..... says it all for wickford really. 1,500 inmates, well at least we can house a few of the criminals that are roaming the streets.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

gemgem23 says...
1:23pm Tue 28 Apr 09

God i would hate to have a prison near by..... says it all for wickford really. 1,500 inmates, well at least we can house a few of the criminals that are roaming the streets.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Southchurch Steve says...
2:13pm Tue 28 Apr 09

gemgem23 wrote:
God i would hate to have a prison near by..... says it all for wickford really. 1,500 inmates, well at least we can house a few of the criminals that are roaming the streets.
Yeah, far better to have a mental hospital.

It does make me laugh - all we've had on here recently is "there aren't tough enough prison terms" comments. Now there's a plan for more prisons everyone goes all NIMBY.

And what's the big deal anyway? The areas around Bullwood Hall have hardly suffered. Still sky high prices in that stretch of road.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

googleman says...
2:38pm Tue 28 Apr 09

the right place for a prison on the grounds of a mental hospital somebody has got a wicked sense of fun ha ha

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Sir Henry Rawlinson says...
2:46pm Tue 28 Apr 09

Personally I can't see what the problem is - it was a psychiatric hospital before so hardly a sprawling tract of green belt land which is being developed. As others have said, Bullwood is just off the Hockley Road and property prices there haven't exactly suffered.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

G. Orwell says...
4:40pm Tue 28 Apr 09

It would seem the perfect spot. It cuts down on carbon emissions since most of the inmates will come from Crays Hill, Meadow Lane and Basildump, relatives won't have so far to travel either. My only concern would be 1500? surely that's nowhere near enough?

Wickford has been in terminal decline since the early 90s. It is a cursed place. Get out whilst there's still time...

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

runwellresident says...
10:25pm Tue 28 Apr 09

People seem to be missing the point here,Runwell Hospital Mental Hospital or a prison--not much in it really, but its the underhanded, slippery, deceitful way that it has been done, never ever a mention of it, only ever going to be a housing estate, to which i and many others have viewed the plans for at chelmsford borough council. As someone else mentioned they were buying a house that backs onto the hospital and all the searches that were done before signing contracts and not a whiff of a prison--what do we pay for when searches are done i wonder?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

RockChick1975 says...
10:32pm Tue 28 Apr 09

Too right NIMBY! I notice all the comments for this god awful idea are from people not in Wickford!

They are cramming more homes into Wickford, not enough amenities, we have pikeys up the road and now a prison!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

midnight warrior says...
9:45pm Wed 29 Apr 09

dufey wrote:
Is what the council meant by investing in Wickford !!! This is the last thing the town needs. Anyone know how we can start to petition against this?
Oh yes, go see John Baron who obtained 5000 signatures to stop the illegal scumbag residents of Crays Hill moving into Pitsea. I am sure most people in Wickford would be willing to sign. Maybe the Echo could run a do you don't you want this campaign. At the moment Wickford is a dumping ground and if we just let this happen without any consultation then it is down to us. This government is hopefully on its way out at the next election along with Mr Straw who obviously doesn't give a ???? what happens here.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

trell says...
10:25pm Wed 29 Apr 09

A little bit of a reality check to the NIMBYS. Prisons are good things for many reasons! Aside from the obvious keeping criminals off the streets, they encourage jobs, encourage better public safety & security, and become active deterrents in criminal activity, simply by being visible.

As to all the interesting and amusing comments from the soundbiters in the Echo newspaper, who are worried that criminals will break out and go on crime sprees in the local area, will you just listen to yourselves?!?

Prison breakouts are very rare things that mostly happen in movies and TV dramas. Besides, even in the extremely unlikely event that someone were to break out of a prison, do people really think they're going to pop down to the nearest high street and indulge in a massive crime spree? More likely, they'd get as far as possible from Wickford as quickly as they can!

Maybe the NIMBYs just need to stop attatching negative connotations to the word 'prison'. I understand decent members of public don't want the proximity of criminals, but I for one would sooner have a bunch of criminals safely under lock & key at the bottom of my garden, than not knowing where they are at all!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Rantman says...
12:12am Thu 30 Apr 09

One problem is that prisons do attract some amount of crime, alot of it from the prisoners visitors, family and freinds who are quite often criminals themselves. Local shops see an increase in shoplifting, petrol stations see a rise in fuel theft and stealing a car to get to the prison and then stealing another one to get home again is common practice, i wouldnt advise leaving youre houses windows open in the summer months if you live near a prison either.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Tinkerbella says...
11:50pm Thu 30 Apr 09

Typical attitude.....people want 'criminals' locked up, but they don't want it to happen on their doorsteps. Where are they meant to go then? Why the fear of cons escaping? If there's a successful escape they're hardly going to stay in the area long enough to get caught are they!?! Did any of those opposed to this prison stop to think about how many people are out of work in Wickford and Basildon and the surrounding areas? The building of a prison that size will create a huge number of jobs in a variety of professions. There also seems to be a lot of negativity about those with mental health problems who have used the facilities provided at Runwell Hospital. Society being caring as always (not!!)

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Winston Smith says...
2:08pm Sun 3 May 09

Southchurch Steve wrote:
gemgem23 wrote:
God i would hate to have a prison near by..... says it all for wickford really. 1,500 inmates, well at least we can house a few of the criminals that are roaming the streets.
Yeah, far better to have a mental hospital.

It does make me laugh - all we've had on here recently is "there aren't tough enough prison terms" comments. Now there's a plan for more prisons everyone goes all NIMBY.

And what's the big deal anyway? The areas around Bullwood Hall have hardly suffered. Still sky high prices in that stretch of road.
Bullwood Hall holds 230 prisoners. It is tiny compared to 1500 inmate jail being proposed for Wickford.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

More Basildon stories


Most popular







Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »

Local Businesses