New modern prison cells that can be quickly built and rolled-out have been unveiled at HMP Norwich, with the aim of boosting jail capacity and ensuring public safety.
The first tranche of cells is already operational at Norwich, with a total of 1,000 cells set to be rolled out across 18 prison sites across the UK.
This move comes as work begins on a £38 million renovation of HMP Norwich’s Elizabeth Fry wing, which will add over 170 new cells by 2025 to create the long-term capacity needed to lock up dangerous offenders.
The first batch of 48 rapid cells at Norwich were constructed and installed just seven months after the signing of contracts and are already housing prisoners.
Rapid Deployment Cells have a lifespan of around 15 years and are designed to quickly create extra capacity across the prison system estate to meet rising demand, while longer-term expansion is underway.
By creating additional space, the new rapid cells also aid the smooth running of prisons by giving governors more choice in how they manage prisoners day-to-day.
The Rapid Deployment Cell Project is seeing 1,000 cells rolled out at 18 sites across the country, with the majority set to be delivered this year.
This news follows the start of work on a £38 million renovation of HMP Norwich’s Elizabeth Fry wing, which is the first project in the Ministry of Justice’s Accelerated Houseblocks Delivery Programme to commence. Thousands of new prison places across the country are being delivered by expansions and renovations to existing prisons.
The UK government has announced a £500 million contract to create 2,200 extra places by building new house blocks at six prisons. Additionally, major renovations at HMP Birmingham and HMP Liverpool, where every cell is being renovated, will create more than 600 new places between them.
This is part of the government’s efforts to deliver the biggest expansion of prison places in over a century, creating 20,000 additional places to meet the capacity demands of the 21st century. This includes building six new jails, backed by over £4 billion.
The 1,700-capacity HMP Fosse Way near Leicester is set to open this spring, and construction has already started on HMP Millsike, the UK’s first all-electric prison in East Yorkshire, which will hold nearly 1,500 prisoners when full.
According to the Minister for Prisons and Probation, Damian Hinds, the new cells are already boosting capacity, while the Elizabeth Fry wing’s renovation will create long-term spaces to protect the public.
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