THE state government is expected to back down on key parts of its controversial plan to expand the Cessnock jail, with Cessnock MP Clayton Barr saying the government is “likely” to close the main entrance to the facility.
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It follows months of community uproar over the plan to more than double the size of the prison, bringing the number of inmates to 1800, without announcing any major upgrades to out-of-jail infrastructure including roads, policing or health facilities.
After discussions with Corrective Services Minister David Elliott, Mr Barr said it appeared the government was now prepared to make concessions.
The MP said the biggest concession was the closure of the Lindsay Street entrance, which has long drawn the ire of residents for its traffic problems, and the construction of a new entrance on the state-owned Wine Country Drive.
He said other concessions flagged by Mr Elliott included a possible purpose-built inmate room at the hospital and changes to the prison layout.
“This is as a result of all those meetings and the obvious community concern and uproar,” Mr Barr said.
“There’s been a bit of compromise … and we seem to be heading in a better direction.
“None of it has been locked in, but verbally, the minister has given some indication we are getting sensible compromise.”
Neither Mr Elliott’s office nor Corrective Services would confirm or deny changes to the original plan, with the Review of Environmental Factors report due to be released later this week.
“Corrective Services NSW consulted with the community on the expansion and will take this feedback into account when finalising the plans for the new centre,” a spokeswoman said.
However, in a telling sign the issue is coming to a head, Mr Elliott is due to meet with Cessnock mayor Bob Pynsent on Monday.
Council’s major concern is road access to the site, as well as community safety.
“We need the best deal we can get for the community, whether it be police, the hospital or those road issues,” Cr Pynsent said, adding that “positives” of the expansion included the hundreds of new jobs.
There has been no indication the government is set to reduce the number of inmates bound for the jail.
