Kier has landed a further £250m of Ministry of Justice work to deliver an extra 480 places across two sites, reinforcing its role as one of the government’s preferred prison builders.
Under the Small Secure Houseblocks Programme (SSHP) alliance, Kier will construct four new houseblocks at HMP Northumberland and four at HMP Lancaster Farms, alongside site-wide infrastructure upgrades and improvements to ancillary facilities. Completion is targeted for early 2027.
The awards take Kier’s recent justice-sector tally to 30 houseblocks delivered or in delivery for the MoJ and the Scottish Prison Service. The contractor has already completed major programmes at HMP Five Wells and HMP Millsike, and continues to expand HMP Elmley, HMP Bullingdon and HMP Channings Wood. The latter is a £200m expansion under the Accelerated Houseblocks Delivery Programme (AHDP), lifting capacity by around 40%, with the first phase – including new staff facilities – recently handed over.
The programme forms part of the government’s drive to create 14,000 additional prison places by 2031. Current delivery models emphasise repeatable design, modern methods of construction and lifecycle value to speed programme and reduce cost in use.
Rebecca Boundy, Kier Construction’s managing director (justice), 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.”
Fiona Parker, deputy director for the small secure houseblocks programme at His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service, added: “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.”
For the construction supply chain, the next phase will centre on standardised houseblock packages, coordinated MEP systems, low-energy design and robust materials, with site logistics and security interfaces critical to working within live prison environments.
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