ANGRY residents vowed to fight plans to site a new prison near their homes in Cwmbran. CHRIS WOOD, ALEX CINUS and DAVID DEANS report.

FURIOUS householders and politicians last night condemned a proposal to turn Cwmbran's former police college into a prison.

The Ministry of Justice announced that the 39 acre former police training college on Greenmeadow Way, St Dials, is one of four potential sites for a new closed Welsh prison for up to 1,500 inmates.

Sites in Merthyr Tydfil, Wrexham and Caernarfon, north Wales, were also shortlisted.

A consultation on the plans is open until October 31.

Last week the Ministry of Justice sparked speculation among residents and politicians by requesting the site to be removed from the local development plan as a potential housing area - a move rejected by Torfaen council.

Yesterday, Torfaen MP and Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy said the former college, surrounded by some of the most tightly-packed housing in Wales, is not suitable for a prison.

He said: “I understand the need for more prison places. However there are other sites that would be better all-round, and I therefore hope that the ministry will look closely at the alternatives.”

Rhian Burdass, 26, lives with partner David Aveyard, 30, his daughter Shannon, three and her son, Jack, six, in nearby Salisbury Court.

She said: "There's no way in a million years they should do it. The perimeter fence is only 20 metres from here and no-one will feel safe.

"There are about 90 per cent elderly residents here and six schools within a mile. The children won't be able to play outside any more. Cwmbran is a nice area, why put a prison smack bang in the middle of it?"

Miss Burdass has her house for sale, but with the property market already stalled, she believes this will make it virtually impossible to sell.

Neighbour Katheryn Robins, 36, said: "We only moved here three years ago and there is no way we would have done if we'd known about this.

"We'd rather a closed prison than an open one, but our son Thomas is four and getting to an age where he'll want to go out and play. There's no way we'll let him if this happens."

John Wadling, 74, who is on the area's neighbourhood watch, said: "Unfortunately, I think the odds could be against us as this site is already built."

A spokesman for Torfaen Council said the site is identified for the building of more than 100 houses.

He added that the council had repeatedly asked the ministry why the site was suitable for a prison, and had not received detailed information from them.