TOWN hall chiefs have vowed to use any means possible to fight proposals to build a 'superprison' in the region.

The Ministry of Justice has been in early talks with a landowner to use a Warrington business park as a super-sized Titan prison.

Hundreds of residents have already signed a petition against the suggestion, claiming the 2,500-inmate facility would be too close to houses and shops.

The government has vowed to build three new superprisons by 2012, because jails are straining to cope with a record 80,0000-plus inmates.

Although plans for the prisons have still to receive final approval, civil servants have already been scouting for possible locations.

They have earmarked a chunk of the Omega business park, near junction 8 of the M62, and have held talks with owners Miller Developments.

But town hall leader Ian Marks said the Lib Dem-led council was 'firmly opposed' to the building of a prison on the 550-acre site and would fight any proposals brought by the government.

He said: "No discussions have taken place between the council and the Ministry of Justice on this. We share the views of a large number of experts that such massive prison warehouses are not the way of dealing with criminals.

"Our views have been made very plain to the developers."

Consultation

Although no site proposals have been formally put forward, the government's consultation documents says one of the prisons should be built in the north west, where there is a 1,600 prisoner-space shortage.

In theory, Warrington council would have to give planning permission to any development but councillors fear that ministers may find a way of forcing through the plan.

Coun Marks added: "Although we firmly oppose this, I think it is wrong to say it is dead in the water.

"We are not interested in any carrots the government might offer and we will do everything we reasonably can to fight it, should a proposal be made."

But opposition MPs accused the council leader of being slow to condemn the proposals, which were first mooted at a meeting attended by Miller Developments and Coun Marks.

Helen Jones, Labour MP for Warrington North, said: "By not knocking this on the head right at the beginning the council has made it much more difficult for anyone opposing this building of a new prison and I am astonished that Miller Developments, which promised us a hi-tech business park, has got involved in this.

"The town already has two prisons. We have taken our fair share of the prison population."

Advocates of the jail plan say it would create hundreds of local jobs and help support the business park at a time when the private property market is stagnant.

But local residents have already been expressing their concerns. More than 500 people attended a public protest meeting earlier this month.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman refused to give a timescale for when earmarked sites would be formally announced.

She said: "The work to identify suitable sites is under way at the moment but we have yet to confirm or purchase a definite site."