HMP Fosse Way, a new category C resettlement prison in Leicester, brings 1,715 additional prison places with an additional cell block and building extension
HMP Fosse Way sits across a 16-acre site and will gain an additional cell block and ancillary building extension after gaining approval from Blaby District Council and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council last December.
The prison will deliver over 600 jobs to the local community and focuses on reducing rates of reoffending through prisoner rehabilitation, skills-based training and employment opportunities.
Prisoners have access to a central services hub, which includes a gym, library, educational classrooms, faith halls, as well as workshops and external horticultural areas, with the potential for prison operators Serco to work closely with local employers to deliver on-the-job training opportunities.
Pick Everard worked closely with Serco and the Ministry of Justice
Pick Everard led design on the project, providing architecture, interior design, civil engineering, building engineering, sustainability and energy, structural engineering, landscape architecture and interior design services.
Tim Irons, operations director at Pick Everard, said: “This is a multi-purpose, free-flow prison, that has been closely modelled on our baseline design of HMP Five Wells and will continue to be the blueprint for a further four new build prisons under the MoJ estate.
“It has been planned to promote supervised interaction between prisoners, as well as several initiatives that allow them to gain new skills that will boost employment opportunities upon their release.”
Sustainability and wellbeing principles have shaped HMP Fosse Way’s design
Offsite construction was used to reduce the delivery timeline and operational costs.
“The interior design has been closely considered, applying biophilic and salutogenic principles to support wellbeing and strengthen the identity of each space.” Tim continued.
Air sourced heating powers elements within the northern compound, while solar panels have been installed on ancillary buildings.
Tim added: “Our focus was on reducing operational energy demand, with a design that moved away from direct fossil fuel energy sources to clean, onsite renewable generation.
“These principles directly support net zero objectives and builds on our identified carbon reduction plan that will be carried forth throughout the MoJ prison programme.”
HMP Fosse Way has been built on the old HMP Glen Parva site
“It is a modern, sustainable custodial estate, working to BREEAM excellent standards, which, following its planned extension, will become one of the biggest prisons operating in the UK.
“We’re incredibly proud to deliver this exciting vision, which continues our long-standing relationship with the MoJ and the wider justice sector.”
Work on the planned extension is expected to commence in August, with the project currently at RIBA Stage 4.
