Two prisons for Essex proposed near Wethersfield air base

The government has proposed two new prisons for more than 3,400 male inmates near an Essex air base.

Prisons Minister Victoria Atkins has published plans for the category B and C jails in Braintree as part of its spend on 18,000 extra prison places.

A consultation document says the jails would meet "anticipated demand" both nationally and in southern England.

The prisons would be of similar design to new jails due to be opened in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.

Ms Atkins said that as part of their work towards the additional prison places by the mid-2020s "we believe that... land next to Wethersfield air base would be a good location for two new prisons as part of the prison estates strategy".

"Our plans, if successful, would bring many benefits to the local community, such as hundreds of jobs during construction, careers within the prison sector and an increased spend in local businesses," she added.

The proposed jails would be a category B local and training prison, and a category C, training and resettlement prison.

They would each have capacity for 1,715 convicts, with 240 housed in four-floor blocks which the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said "creates a sense of community that will lead to less violence and better relations with staff".

Most cells would hold one prisoner and each would have a shower and toilet, as well as phones.

The MoJ said there would be a "central space for prisoner services", where inmates would go for lessons, health checks, the library, gym, or to pray.

A ministry spokeswoman said: "We want to hear the views of the local community before we consider submitting a planning application and no final decisions have been made."

The announcement comes after the new Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said the population of another men's prison in Essex, HMP Chelmsford, would be cut by almost 10% in response to a number of "serious failings" at the jail.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]