A PETITION signed by 3,300 people against plans to build a massive prison in Runwell, near Wickford, has been handed in by protesters.

Around 12 members of the No Prison in Runwell action group went to Chelmsford Borough Council and met with the authority’s planning chiefs to discuss the proposal.

The council will decide whether to pass the Ministry of Justice planning application for the jail next month. Campaigners have been out and about in Runwell and Wickford in recent weeks, with their yellow battle van, gathering support.

Steve Fagioli, vice chairman of Runwell Parish Council and an action group member, said: “We handed the petition in and then met with head of planning David Green and the council’s deputy chief executive June Clare.

“We discussed different aspects of the prison with them and brought up all our concerns, such as the fact it will be built on the green belt and the loss of trees that will cause.

“They talked us through all the different levels the planning application will go through and it was very beneficial.”

Mr Fagioli said the action group will now be concentrating their efforts on finding out if towns which already have jails have suffered as a result, for example with a rise in crime or a dip in property prices.

The proposed plan, put forward by the application, would see a jail holding 1,500 inmates built on the site of the old Runwell hospital in Runwell Road, Runwell.

Campaigners also claim the prison will cause increased traffic on the already overburdened roads, as well as cause a slump in property prices.

The planning application is expected to be considered on Thursday May 27.