Lendlease has been slammed by union UCATT for refusing access to one of its representatives at a £212 million prison building site in North Wales.

Prison governor Russ Trent had invited UCATT representative, Terry Renshaw, to tour the site of the new HMP Berwyn Wrexham Prison.

However, Site Manager Neil Thomas refused Mr Renshaw access after overruling Mr Trent.

Mr Renshaw said the Governor was "shocked" at Lendlease's attitude. However, after a private consultation with Mr Thomas, the Governor backed down.

"I then told Neil Thomas that I should be given access because there were UCATT members on site," Mr Renshaw said.

"He still refused. So I said 'Are you worried because I might find more illegal immigrants working on a Government contract site? And he said if you go to any industrial estate around here you'll find half the workers are illegal immigrants. And this was his defence!"

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In April, Government officials raided the site and discovered illegal immigrants working there, one of which has now been jailed.

UCATT has spent months trying to engage with Lendlease on the building site and there have been "numerous approaches" from local officials to have a meeting or a site visit, all of which have been declined.

Andy Fisher, UCATT Regional Secretary, said: "Public money should never be used to employ constructors which employ illegal immigrants. And trade unions should never be refused access to a building site financed by public money, particularly having been invited on site by the client – the British Government. Who do Lendlease think they are? This is a shameful state of affairs.

"We have strong reason to believe Lendlease are using other heinous employment practises such as umbrella companies and workers working under false self-employment. This trade union will be demanding access to this building site, in the public interest, let alone the interest of the workers working for Lendlease and its sub-contractors."

(LM/CD)