Construction has officially started on 152 new prison places at HMP Kirklevington Grange near Yarm, as part of the Government’s drive to increase prison capacity and strengthen public safety.
The new accommodation will be delivered through Rapid Deployment Cells (RDCs), modular units designed to expand prison capacity quickly and efficiently. The project forms part of the Government’s wider prison expansion strategy, described as the largest since the Victorian era, aimed at ensuring sufficient prison places are available for offenders who pose a risk to communities.
Thousands of additional prison places have already been delivered across the North East and Yorkshire, supporting local employment, supply chains and rehabilitation programmes.
Nationally, the Government has committed £4.7 billion to create 14,000 additional prison places by 2031. More than 3,300 places have already been 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.”
The Kirklevington Grange project is also providing practical skills and employment pathways for prisoners.
Two prisoners from the prison are currently working on the site's foundations, with plans to increase participation where possible. The initiative is designed to help offenders gain valuable experience, qualifications and workplace skills that support successful rehabilitation and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
Construction partner Reds10 is employing prisoners on temporary release to assist with the manufacture of RDC units elsewhere in the prison estate. In addition, three former prisoners have secured permanent employment with the company.
A groundbreaking event took place on 10 September, bringing together prison leaders, representatives from the office of the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner and construction firm Reds10 to mark the start of the project.
The expansion at HMP Kirklevington Grange forms part of broader Government action to increase prison capacity after just 500 net prison places were added nationally during the fourteen years prior to July 2024.
Significant investment is already underway across the region, including:
- The opening of HMP Millsike near York, providing 1,500 prison places.
- Construction of an additional 240 places at HMP Northumberland.
- A further 120 places being created at HMP Humber.
- Twenty-one extra places delivered at HMP Holme House.
- Additional cells currently being installed at HMP Deerbolt.
Elsewhere, a contract has recently been signed to begin the first phase of works on a new 1,700-place prison in Lancashire.
Alongside new prison construction, the Government is investing £110 million to accelerate the creation of hundreds of additional prison places within the existing estate.
The programme will convert underused spaces, including offices, laundry facilities and storage areas, into operational prison cells, helping to meet increasing demand more quickly.
The Government has also outlined planned sentencing reforms aimed at maintaining public protection while easing pressure on prison capacity. These include measures to speed up the removal of foreign national offenders and reforms to address Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences in a way that seeks to balance fairness with public safety.
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