The number of prison places in our country is to be increased following the Ministry of Justice’s plans for prison construction and refurbishment.
According to a previous announcement by the Ministry of Justice, the following prisons would be extended – HMP Guys Marsh, (Dorset), Rye Hill (Warwickshire) and Stocken (Rutland).
In addition to these plans a total of 16 sites will be expanded and refurbished as part of the governments drive to create 20,000 additional prison places by the mid 2020’s.
Eight prisons are to get new houseblocks, subject of course to planning permission, with seven more to be refurbished as part of the £150m investment in refurbishment. HMPs Stocken, Guys Marsh, High Down, Birmingham and Liverpool already have planning permission.
“Our unparalleled prison-building programme is the biggest in more than a century and is aimed to deliver an additional 20,000 prison places. We are improving our existing prison estate, putting more offenders behind bars, training them for release and thereby protecting the public”, said Dominic Raab, Justice Secretary.