Coming soon... PRISON FOR N.WALES A new prison, 1,000 full-time posts, hundreds of building jobs and an extra pounds 17m-a-yr for our struggling economy N.WALES JAIL SITE REVEALED.

Byline: By STEVE BAGNALL

A MASSIVE cheer greeted the news North Wales is set to get a new prison - creating up to 1,000 jobs.

After months of speculation the Government has chosen the former 27-acre Dynamex factory in Caernarfon as the site for an expected 800- capacity jail.

It was selected from four possible locations in Wales, including the former 108-acre Firestone factory in Wrexham.

The announcement was made by Prisons Minister David Hanson, MP for Delyn, at the North Wales Criminal Justice Board annual meeting at Llandudno's Venue Cymru yesterday.

It drew huge applause and cheers from delegates.

Two plots in South Wales - Cwmbran and Merthyr Tydfil - were also considered. Cwmbran was the favourite but Mr Hanson confirmed it will now be sold off.

Mr Hanson said: "We have agreed to purchase the Caernarfon site and I will be agreeing the terms subject to final checks. We will be putting in a planning application at some time in the future."

He added: "This an important announcement for the people of Wales.

A new prison would help us bring considerable economic benefits to this part of Wales as well as providing much needed additional places for us."

It follows an extensive four-month consultation on the shortlist of four sites, which ran from August to November 2008.

Although the site has been selected, the timing of building the new prison has not yet been determined.

Negotiations are underway with the site's owners Bluefield Caernarfon Ltd and a planning application will be submitted to Gwynedd Council which could take up to 18 months to prepare.

Research commissioned by NWCJB showed the construction phase alone was likely to generate 850 jobs - 230 in the immediate area and another 620 in the region as a whole.

In turn, that should pump pounds 11 million into the regional economy every year for three years.

Once the prison is up and running, it is expected to create around a thousand permanent jobs.

The prison itself is expected to employ 480 people and support services and suppliers would take on another 560 people in the wider region.

As a result, the prison will provide an annual pounds 17m boost to the regional economy.

NWCJB chairman Ed Beltrami said: "This is fantastic news because there is undoubtedly an urgent need for this prison.

"Currently offenders from North Wales are scattered around 25 different prisons in the UK, as far away as Durham and Kent."

The new prison could have provision for 600 male prisoners with 200 places for females and young offenders in their own wings.

Last year there were concerns the land owner Bluefield Caernarfon Ltd may prove a stumbling block because they wanted to build houses and shops there.

But yesterday it was confirmed a deal was being struck to buy the site.

In a statement Bluefield Caernarfon Ltd said: "Bluefield Caernarfon Limited recognises the unique nature of the site and the economic importance of this proposal to Caernarfon and the surrounding area.

It added: "The development of a prison at this site will have a positive economic impact on this area, providing widespread support for local businesses and suppliers and generating many jobs in the future."

The decision follows years of campaigning by North Wales MPs from across the political spectrum who said it will bring jobs to the region and help the rehabilitation of prisoners.

NWCJB had also backed the campaign attracting support across the judiciary and professional agencies dealing with offenders.

There was also strong support from business and industry leaders.

The board argued it was vital to have a local prison to help reduce reoffending by working with prisoners in their own communities.

Being imprisoned in England made it very difficult for first language Welsh speakers to get any education or training in their own language.

North Wales Probation chief officer Carol Moore said: "We know that this is particularly difficult for Welsh speakers who might find themselves to be the only Welsh speaker in a prison in a different part of the country.

"Having a prison in North Wales is excellent new for everyone. It will make the region a safer place to live because it will help reduce re-offending - and fewer crimes means fewer victims."

Wrexham economic bosses had wanted the prison to be built on the former Firestone site to attract jobs to north east Wales hit hard in recent months by job losses.

Caernarfon has experienced some at Hanson's Caernarfon brick works with 50 lost and nine at the local branch of LSUK.

But north east Wales has lost about 1,000 at plants including JCB, Wrexham, Paramount foods, Deeside, Flexsys, Cefn Mawr, and Keating Group, Mold.

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CAPTION(S):

The Firestone site in Wrexham (far left) was rejected after Prisons Minister David Hanson made in announcement in Llandudno yesterday (left); The derelict 27-acre Dynamex factory site in Caernarfon will be transformed into a prison for 800 inmates Picture: ROBERT PARRY JONES