THERE are no plans for a prison in Colchester, it has been has announced.

Justice Minister Jack Straw revealed prisons will be built in Beam Park West, in Barking and Dagenham, and Runwell in Essex – but said there were no plans for further prisons in the county.

Mr Straw was responding to a question by Colchester MP Bob Russell in the House of Commons.

The Department for Justice last week released a list of 72 sites across the country which were being considered as potential locations for Titan prisons. They included Severalls Hospital in Colchester, and Stane Park and Stanway Quarries, both in Stanway.

Mr Straw said plans for three “Titan” prisons, housing 2,500 inmates, had been replaced with five 1,500-capacity prisons.

It was thought Colchester could be in line for a new jail.

Mr Russell asked: “Could he (Mr Straw) explain what consultation has taken place with the local authority and members of Parliament, and whether Essex will get an additional one on any of the sites?”

Mr Straw said they had had to identify sites privately, but ruled many out from the start. He added: “We had to give them all in response to the Freedom of Information request, but I thought there was good reason not to worry residents by making them public before we made a decision and secured the site.”

Martin Goss, Mile End borough councillor, said: “Building a prison at the Severalls site would have been one of the most ludicrous decisions.”

The remaining three prison sites are yet to be announced.