Construction Contract Signed For Wrexham’s ‘Super Prison’

Construction work on Wrexham’s ‘Super Prison’ is set to be stepped up after the contract to build it was officially signed.

The Ministry of Justice signed the £156.9m contract with Lend Lease as the project reached its latest key milestone.

The signing of the contract means that construction work can begin in earnest following months of preparatory work that has included levelling the site, erecting the secure perimeter fence and digging foundations for the first houseblock.

Lead Member for Economic Development and Regeneration Cllr Neil Rogers has described the news as ‘excellent’, adding it ‘will see more jobs and opportunities for businesses in Wrexham and the region’.

An estimated 1000 jobs are expected to be created once the prison is fully operational and the project is set to boost the regional economy by around £23m a year.

Prisons Minister Andrew Selous said: “I’m delighted that the contract has now been signed to signal the start of full construction works in Wrexham.

“Lend Lease have also committed to spend at least £30m with local businesses during construction, and with £1.2m already spent they are currently ahead of their target.”

The estimated overall cost of the project is £212m – which is under the original £250m estimate – and includes a design and construction cost of £156.9m.

The prison will provide around 2,100 Category C places for male offenders from North Wales and North West England, including a small remand function serving the courts in North Wales. It will include places for education, 12 large workshop spaces, and resettlement functions, helping offenders who will be held closer to home reintegrate into their communities on release.

Wales Office Minister Alun Cairns said: “It’s great news for Wrexham and Wales that the prison contract has been signed and construction can now get underway.

“The prison will give a massive boost to the North Wales economy by creating hundreds of jobs and countless opportunities for local businesses in Wrexham and the surrounding areas.

“This is a tangible example of the UK government’s commitment to ensuring that Wales has world class infrastructure and is part of our long term plan to rebalance the economy. Strong public services need a strong economy.”

Last month it was announced that the prison would be operated by HM Prison Service and recruitment for the project director has already begun. The director will work closely with the Welsh Government and the local health board to agree the education and health provision, before taking on the role of Governor as the prison starts taking prisoners from early 2017.