Contamination concerns over prison plans for Uttlesford border

Plans for two new jails on the Uttlesford border have prompted concerns about land contamination.

More than a year ago, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced proposals for one category B training prison and one category C resettlement prison, each with around 1,700 prisoners, on the former Ministry of Defence facility at Wethersfield.

Braintree District Council and surrounding communities are still waiting for the Government to decide if it will submit a planning application.

Alan MacKenzie, chairman of campaign group SWAP (Stop Wethersfield Airfield Prisons), has raised the issue of possible contamination from polyfluoroalkyl substances – known as PFAs or 'forever chemicals' – from foam used during real and practice firefighting.

The Ministry of Justice has said that following an initial geo-environmental appraisal in 2021 no risks from contamination or hazardous gas were identified.

However, the department denied a Freedom of Information Act request from SWAP for further details.

The ministry said: "This information is commercially sensitive, and release would prejudice the authority's negotiating position on the project. Release would also prejudice the authority's negotiating position and ability to achieve value for money in future prison builds. Release could also prejudice the MoD's ability to achieve value for money should they choose to sell the land to another party."

Braintree District Council leader Cllr Graham Butland said that even though the MoJ wanted to reduce the scope of any environmental impact assessment, the authority would insist contamination was included.

"Contamination on the site is clearly something which this council would take very seriously," he said.

"Those who have read the environmental statement scoping paper will see the MoJ wishes to descope the area of contamination from the environmental statement.

"This council, however, requires that it should be considered as part of any future environmental statement to ensure more detailed work is undertaken and the impact of any contamination is carefully and fully understood.

"We also have been assured that as part of any decommissioning of the site, the Ministry of Defence undertake a full review and survey of the site to ensure it is cleared of specialist materials and equipment, including unexploded ordnance."

RAF Wethersfield opened in 1944 and was home to the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War before it closed in 1946. It reopened in 1951 as a result of the Cold War and was used as a US Air Force fighter airfield until 1970. It remained a reserve airfield until 1993, when it became a base for the Ministry of Defence Police.