Prison Wins Later Quarry Hours to Preserve Inmates' Saturday Lie-In

Prisoners at HMP Stoke Heath in Shropshire will keep their Saturday morning lie-ins after a quarry extension was approved with a delayed weekend start time. Shropshire Council, led by the Liberal Democrats, granted planning permission for Grundon Sand & Gravel to extend operations at its Tern Hill site—on the condition that no work begins before 9am on Saturdays.

The decision followed objections from prison officials concerned that early morning quarrying, including noisy blasting, would disturb inmates' sleep. The category C facility houses 734 prisoners, who are allowed to sleep in beyond their usual 7:30am wake-up time on Saturdays.

In its submission, Cushman & Wakefield, on behalf of HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS), stated: "On Saturdays, prisoners are permitted to sleep in beyond 7.30am. HMPPS are therefore concerned that prisoners are likely to experience some level of disruption to their sleep... potentially impacting their amenity and quality of life."

The revised plan now prohibits operations before 9am on Saturdays and entirely on Sundays. Originally, the company had sought to begin at 7am on Saturdays.

The approved quarry extension is set to extract approximately 1.2 million tonnes of sand and gravel over the next 15 years, averaging around 80,000 tonnes annually. Plans also include the installation of a solar farm to help power the site and contribute renewable energy to the national grid.

Despite concerns about visibility, noise, and increased traffic, the council's planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposal. A planning officer noted that impacts on nearby sites—including an RAF base, a young offenders institution, and residential areas—could be minimised through strict site controls.

The project is expected to create five full-time and six part-time jobs, alongside delivering biodiversity gains and renewable energy.

The Johnson Partnership, Nottingham