Jubilant residents are still reeling in shock after an sudden announcement that plans for a youth jail in Brentwood have been scrapped.

Council chiefs, political leaders and campaigners are breathing huge sighs of relief at the unexpected decision by the Youth Justice Board not to go-ahead with a Secure Training Centre just half a mile from Brentwood Town Centre.

The YJB has concluded the Brentwood scheme is 'not cost effective' because of the high staff salaries and premium rate building costs it would have involved.

But the narrow escape from the imminent prospect a 40-bed young offenders' unit on the site of the former St Charles Youth Treatment Centre is Weald Road is being celebrated with a strong note of caution.

Campaigners remain anxious as the site has been handed back to the Home Office which has yet to decide its future use.

The Home Office has confirmed it is considering 'a number of options' for the future of the St Charles site - one of which is to dispose of the land. Details of the other possibilities have not been released.

Brentwood and Ongar MP Eric Pickles and Brentwood Council chief executive Bob McLintock are now seeking an urgent meeting with the Home Office.

Tory MP Mr Pickles said later: "It is very good news. What has come out now and was blaringly obvious from the beginning, was that this was an unsuitable site, in a unsuitable location, with an unsuitable clientele.

"However, we are not out of the woods as the site is still in the possession of the Home Office and the Home Office has various other uses for sites which we certainly do not want to see."

Published Thursday July 1, 2004

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