State Government will ‘soon’ release Social and Economic Impact Study for proposed new jail at Westbury

The release of a report into a proposed new prison at Westbury cannot come soon enough for opponents of the project, who are anxiously waiting to find out whether or not it will go ahead.

Proposed new Northern Regional Prison site at Birralee Rd, Westbury.

A REPORT on a proposed new prison at Westbury remains under wraps, as opponents wait anxiously to see if the project will go ahead.

A study into the social and economic impact the planned 275-bed jail might have on the Meander Valley community, including responses to a survey of Westbury residents, is now completed and with the State Government.

Corrections Minister Elise Archer on Wednesday said an announcement on the future of the project, combined with the release of the report, would happen within weeks.

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Ms Archer in September announced an industrial site 2km from the village centre was the Government’s preferred location for the $270 million project.

Premier Peter Gutwein and Attorney-General Elise Archer. Picture: PATRICK GEE

The move sparked backlash from residents, who said they were not properly consulted about the potential for their town to become home to a jail.

Ms Archer said the social and economic impact study report was received by the Government on May 29 and “we are in the process of considering it thoroughly before we release it in full, as promised’’.

“The Government intends to make an announcement about this important infrastructure development soon and at the same time also publicly release the social and economic impact study.”

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Westbury Region Against the Prison president Linda Poulton said the community was anxious to find out whether or not the Government would push ahead with the site.

“We’re at the Government’s mercy in terms of when they release the report, and clearly it seems they want it to be concurrent with their decision,’’ she said.

“The longer it goes on, the more difficult it is. People are understandably really anxious and can’t understand why the Government can’t release the report and see what the results of the survey are.”

Labor last week called for the report to be released, with Lyons MP Jen Butler calling on the Government to concede Westbury was not the right place and instead “go back to the drawing board” to look for another site.