ISG, Kier, Laing O’Rourke and Wates have been appointed to the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) £1bn New Prisons Programme to build four new adult male prisons across the UK
This alliance will create over 6,000 new, modern, prison places with a core focus on safety, security and rehabilitation.
The prisons programme uses a pioneering alliance form of contract, with all four contractors collaborating on a delivery methodology that prioritises MMC – incorporating standardised components, platform P-DfMA and digitisation of the construction process.
This approach is fully aligned with the government’s Construction Playbook and recognises the significant benefits of Tier 1 contractors working together to drive innovation, maximise social value outcomes and create a contemporary prison estate that will deliver on the UK’s 2050 net-zero carbon targets.
The Alliance 4 New Prisons (A4NP) will initially develop the design for four new prisons – the first of which will be at Full Sutton, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, with a further three locations to be confirmed.
The A4NP will develop a standardised design and construction approach that can be deployed across each of the four prison sites, maximising procurement efficiencies and quality standards through the use of offsite manufactured components.
The four contractors will immediately commence an intensive preconstruction period, which is anticipated to conclude early in 2022 – ahead of construction proper at HMP Full Sutton in summer 2022.
Using a range of build methods including MMC
James Hindes, managing director at Kier Strategic Projects, said: “Bringing together four Tier 1 contractors to work collaboratively through this programme is a progressive approach by the Ministry of Justice, and one which will not only be beneficial in harnessing innovation across the industry, but it will also create new jobs and help the MoJ to better rehabilitate offenders.
“Evolving improvements in design will help us to deliver on the government’s sustainability targets and, as one of the partners, we bring experience and expertise gained from the delivery of HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, which uses a range of build methods including MMC.”
Martin Staehr, director at Laing O’Rourke, added: “The new programme is an ambitious one and it is pleasing that the Ministry of Justice is committed to using modern methods of construction to standardise design between prisons to help deliver them better, faster and greener.
“It’s also a great example of government commitment to efficient procurement, collaboration, and ultimately, better project outcomes. We’re delighted to be a part of the Alliance and look forward to harnessing the full capability of our business and our alliance partners.”
