Balfour Beatty has been awarded the contract to construct the new £209 million HMP Highland in Inverness, Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).
The contractor was first appointed to deliver the pre-construction phase, including the design of HMP Highland, in 2022.
This latest phase, valued at £119 million, will see Balfour construct the 18,500-sqm facility, with two interconnected buildings and associated infrastructure.
It will replace Inverness Prison and will accommodate 200 prisoners.
Scheduled for completion in 2026, HMP Highland will be the first net-zero prison in Scotland, with the facility designed to run off renewable energy sources.
The contractor will use modular construction methods to preassemble the internal wall panels and perimeter walls offsite in a controlled factory environment.
At peak construction Balfour will employ 250 people with 5 per cent of its workforce made up of apprentices, graduates, and trainees.
The contractor has committed to spending £60 million with local supply chain partners and businesses.
Hector MacAulay, MD of Balfour’s regional business in Scotland, said: “We are delighted to continue working alongside the Scottish Prison Service as we move into the construction phase of this significant and important project.”
Linda Pollock, deputy chief executive of the SPS, said: “HMP Highland will not only increase the capacity previously available at HMP Inverness, but also provide space for quality rehabilitative work which we know gives people the greatest possible chance of a successful return to their communities on liberation.”
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