Skanska has been awarded two contracts by the Scottish Prison Service with a combined value of £35 million to build house blocks at HMP Edinburgh and HMYOI Polmont.
The largest, worth £18 million, is for a 226-cell self-contained house block at HMP Edinburgh, which starts on site this month and will be completed in June 2003. The second is a £17 million contract to build a self-contained 213-cell house block for young offenders at HMYOI Polmont Prison in Falkirk, which will be completed late 2002.
Although both blocks are within the existing prison complexes, they will have their own facilities, including canteens, showers, interview rooms, administration offices and libraries allowing them to operate independently from the main prison.
An interesting aspect of construction work is the level of pre-fabrication. The cells, floor, wall and roof are all being built off-site and then fitted together when they arrive at the prison. This will increase speed, efficiency and end quality.
Skanska has a strong record in UK prison building, with five built in the last five years under the PFI, including HMP Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire.