Kier has been awarded contracts worth around £250m to expand another two prison facilities.

It will deliver an additional 480 prison places at HMPs Northumberland and Lancaster Farms as part of the Small Secure Houseblocks Programme (SSHP) Alliance for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

Four new houseblocks, new site-wide infrastructure and upgrades to ancillary facilities will be delivered at each prison by early 2027.

The latest additions to Kier’s justice sector portfolio represent its 30th houseblock to be delivered in recent years for both the MoJ and Scottish Prisons Service (SPS).

Kier has already completed the award-winning HMP Five Wells and HMP Millsike, and is currently expanding HMPs Elmley, Bullingdon and Channings Wood in support of the UK government’s plans to build 14,000 new prison places by 2031.

The expansion of HMP Channings Wood, boosting current capacity by 40%, is part of the Accelerated Houseblocks Delivery Programme (AHDP) alliance. The handover of the first phase of the project, including new staff facilities, took place recently.

Rebecca Boundy, managing director (justice) at Kier Construction, said: “We’re proud to be a trusted delivery partner for the government, supporting transformative expansion across the UK prison estate. 

“We are working in alliance with our partners to focus on repeatability and continuous improvement to drive better performance in delivery and lifecycle costs.

“Our specialist teams are delivering high-quality, state-of-the-art prison accommodation and facilities that are fit for the future.”

Kier’s Making Ground initiative, delivering training and employment opportunities for prisoners, has also seen 29 prisoners at HMP Channings Wood graduate from a dedicated course, ‘Hard Hat Ready’, introducing participants to the construction industry.

In the last three years, the initiative has seen 75 prison leavers employed, and 64 released on temporary licence (ROTL) placements offered within Kier and its supply chain across the UK.

Fiona Parker, deputy director, small secure houseblocks programme, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), said: “The expansions at HMP Lancaster Farms and HMP Northumberland mark a critical step forward in delivering secure, modern, and rehabilitative prison facilities that maintain public protection as part of our wider commitment to increase prison capacity. The new houseblocks and supporting facilities will help ensure prisoners have the opportunity to develop skills.”