Kier, Laing O’Rourke and Wates bag £225m MoJ deal

Kier, Laing O’Rourke and Wates have been appointed by the Ministry of Justice to provide up to 1,200 new prison places across the UK with a focus on safety, security and rehabilitation.

The latest deal builds on the success of the MoJ’s pioneering Alliance model.

The three teams will immediately commence an intensive preconstruction period.

Construction work is anticipated to begin in 2024, with the new houseblocks set to be operationally ready from 2025.

In addition to this latest programme, Kier, Laing O’Rourke and Wates are working with ISG and the MoJ in the separate Alliance 4 New Prisons (A4NP) signed two years ago, which will deliver an additional 6,000 new prison spaces.

Kier and Wates are also working as an Alliance to provide up to 2,200 places through the MoJ’s Accelerated Houseblock Delivery Programme.

Under the latest deal, all three contractors will collaborate and share best practice to provide new facilities, drive down carbon emissions and deliver social value to the prison community.

The prison places will be in new houseblocks with a standardised design and construction approach maximising quality, efficiency and sustainable outcomes through modern methods of construction.

Each houseblock will include 60 single-occupancy rooms and be supported by larger kitchen spaces and other relevant ancillaries.

A number of the sites will contain educational areas for study and light industrial units where prisoners can take professional courses such as bricklaying.

All three contractors will also provide training and employment opportunities for prison leavers to support rehabilitation.

A spokesperson for the Alliance said: “This vital project will deliver much-needed prison places while also providing valuable training and employment opportunities to those leaving prison.

“Working in partnership together and using standardised designs, modern methods of construction, and a shared strategic supply chain enables us to drive efficiency and deliver significant value across multiple concurrent projects.”