Issued by: Ministry of Justice

Construction has now begun on 152 new prison places at HMP Kirklevington Grange near Yarm, helping to lock up dangerous criminals and keep the public safe.

• 152 new prison places under construction at HMP Kirklevington Grange to keep streets safer

• Prisoners working on construction to learn skills to turn their backs on crime for good

• Thousands of new prison places across the North East and Yorkshire, part of Government action to ensure country never runs out of jail space again

The Rapid Deployment Cells – units which can be rolled out at speed to boost jail capacity – are part of the biggest prison expansion programme since the Victorian era, as the Government ensures the country never runs out of jail space again.

Thousands of new prison places have already been delivered across the North East and Yorkshire, supporting jobs, local supply chains and rehabilitation.

Nationally, the Government is investing £4.7 billion to deliver 14,000 additional prison places by 2031, with more than 3,300 already delivered since July 2024.

Catherine McKinnell, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, said:

"We inherited prisons on the brink of collapse, with the system days from running out of places and dangerous criminals at risk of having nowhere to go.

"We’re fixing that failure by getting prison places built across the country, including major investment here in the North East and Yorkshire, so there is always a cell for those who pose a danger to the public.

"We’ve already delivered 3,300 places across the country and we’re investing billions to build thousands more, creating jobs and making our streets safer."

Prisoners themselves have been integral to the construction process at Kirklevington Grange. Two prisoners from the prison are working on the foundations on site, with plans to increase participation where possible, giving offenders the skills, experience and qualifications they need to turn their backs on crime for good.

Construction partner Reds10 is also employing prisoners on temporary release to help manufacture RDC units across the wider estate, while three prison leavers are now permanently employed by the company.

The Kirklevington Grange project was marked on Thursday (10 September) by a groundbreaking event bringing together prison leaders, the office of the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, and construction firm Reds10.

Kelly Pearce, Governor of HMP Kirklevington Grange, said:

"This expansion is a major investment in Kirklevington Grange and will allow us to support more prisoners as they prepare to return to their communities.

"It is particularly important that the project itself is creating opportunities for prisoners to gain real workplace experience, helping them build the skills and confidence they need to find work and live crime-free lives on release."

Mark Wood, Head of Construction, Justice Sector at Reds10, said:

"HMP Kirklevington Grange demonstrates what can be achieved when clients, contractors, prison teams and supply chain partners work together as one team from the outset.

"As our largest Rapid Deployment Cells Programme project to date, it showcases the benefits of combining Modern Methods of Construction with a fully integrated delivery model to provide greater certainty, coordination and efficiency.

"We’re also proud that the project will create opportunities for prisoners through the ROTL programme, helping people develop valuable skills and workplace experience while contributing to the delivery of much-needed prison capacity."

The Kirklevington Grange expansion is part of decisive action taken by Government to ensure the country never again faces the nightmare of running out of prison spaces after net 500 places were added in fourteen years before July 2024.

Across the North East and Yorkshire this has included:

• A new 1,500-place prison HMP Millsike opened near York last year.

• Construction on an additional 240 places at HMP Northumberland, and a further 120 at HMP Humber.

• 21 extra places at HMP Holme House and further cells are being installed at HMP Deerbolt.

A contract has also recently been signed paving the way for the first phase of works to begin on a new 1,700-place prison in Lancashire.

Meanwhile, £110m is being invested to speed up the construction of hundreds of prison places. It will see existing space within prisons converted into cells to deliver much-needed capacity – including through unused office space, laundry rooms and storage areas.

The Government has also recently set out changes to upcoming sentencing reforms which will block hundreds more dangerous offenders from earlier release.

This includes measures to boost capacity through plans to remove foreign national offenders more quickly and end the historic injustice of Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences in a way that balances fairness and public safety.

Notes to editors

• HMP Kirklevington Grange is an open prison near Yarm which supports men preparing for release and resettlement in the North East.

• The project will deliver 152 additional prison places across three two-storey accommodation blocks, alongside supporting facilities and infrastructure.

• The accommodation will be created from 181 modules, with more than 85 per cent completed off-site.

• Reds10 is the Principal Works Contractor delivering the scheme.

• Two prisoners have been employed on the construction project through Release on Temporary Leave (ROTL). Prisoners must pass strict risk assessments to be eligible.

• The Government has committed to delivering 14,000 additional prison places by 2031, with 3,300 delivered since July 2024.

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