- Two new houseblocks to be built at HMP Channings Wood by end
of 2027
- Jail's capacity boosted by 40 per cent to lock up
dangerous criminals.
- Latest step in Government's plans to build 14,000 prison
places nationwide, as part of the Plan for Change.
A Devon jail is set to almost double in size as the Government
ploughs ahead with the largest prison building programme since
the Victoria era.
Work is underway on the 500-place expansion at HMP Channings
Wood, which will see the prison grow by around 40 per cent with
two new four-storey houseblocks.
The new cells will be fully operational by the end of 2027 and
will help ensure there is always enough space for dangerous
offenders – cutting crime and keeping the public safe.
The major project will also include the construction of a new
jobs and education workshop, training prisoners with the
skills they need to turn their backs on crime for good.
Today's news represents a significant milestone in the
Government's aims to build 14,000 additional prison places by
2031 - with around 2,500 of these having already been built
since July 2024.
The build will also create hundreds of jobs in the
South West, with an additional 200 permanent jobs expected at the
prison once the houseblock is complete.
Minister for Prisons, Probation, and Reducing
Reoffending, Timpson
said:
“This Government inherited a capacity crisis in our prisons.
“We will never let that happen again, ensuring there is always
space in our jails for dangerousoffenders, part of our Plan
for Change.
“We've delivered 2,500 new places in the last year, on track for
14,000 by 2031. In the fourteen years to April 2024, only 500
places were added to our estate. This new site alone will provide
that many.”
The project will be delivered by Kier, a leading provider of
infrastructure services, construction and property
developments.
Rebecca Boundy, Managing Director (Justice) at Kier
Construction, said:
“We're proud to be a trusted delivery partner for the government,
supporting expansion plans here at HMP Channings Wood and across
the UK prison estate.
“After recently completing HMP Millsike and starting work on
expansion projects at HMP Northumberland and HMP Lancaster Farms,
our specialist teams are delivering high-quality,
state-of-the-art prison accommodation and facilities that are fit
for the future.”
Offenders at the prison have also undertaken training by
Kier – earning qualifications to work in construction on release
to keep them on the straight and narrow.
The construction follows the opening of the around 1,500-capacity
prison in Yorkshire, HMP Millsike, in March. The Government is
investing £4.7 billion to deliver these prison builds, whilst
investing up to a further £300 million towards vital building
maintenance across prisons and the probation service in this
financial year.
The prison building programme will work alongside the upcoming
sentencing reforms to ensure there is always a cell to lock up
the most dangerous offenders.
Notes to editors:
- The houseblocks will provide 494 places.
- Other key stakeholders in the programme include Mace and
Gleeds.
- The Government is investing £4.7 billion to deliver these
prison builds over this spending review period (2026/27 -
2029/30).
