- Four new houseblocks under construction at HMP
Northumberland.
- New workshop with six
classrooms to steer prisoners away
from crime.
- Latest milestone in Government's plans to build 14,000 prison
places by 2031, as part of the Plan for Change
The new cells will be fully operational by 2027 and help
ensure there is always enough space for dangerous offenders.
The major project will also include the construction of a new
workshop containing six classrooms and industry
areas – delivering punishment that cuts crime by
giving prisoners the skills they need to stop
reoffending.
Today's news is a significant milestone in
the Government's aims to build 14,000 additional prison
places by 2031 - with around 2,900 of these having already
been built since July 2024.
Minister for Prisons, Probation, and Reducing
Reoffending, Timpson said:
We inherited a prison system on the brink
of collapse, and have wasted no time getting
shovels in the ground to fix this – with
2,900 new prison places already opened – which
also creates jobs for communities like those in
the North East.
Alongside sentencing reform, this
will create prisons that cut crime, reduce
reoffending, and ensure there are
fewer victims in the future.
The build will also create jobs in the North
East, with around
70 new permanent roles expected at the prison once
the houseblocks are complete.
The project is being delivered by Kier, a leading
provider of infrastructure services, construction and property
developments.
The construction follows the opening of the around 1,500-capacity
prison in Yorkshire, HMP Millsike, last year. The Government
is investing £4.7 billion to deliver these prison builds, whilst
investing £500 million over two years in prison and probation
service maintenance to improve conditions across the estate. The
prison building programme will work alongside sentencing reform,
to ensure there is always a cell to lock up the most dangerous
offenders.
Background
- The Government is investing £4.7 billion to deliver these
prison builds over this spending review period (2026/27 -
2029/30).
