Catherine McKinnell has welcomed the completion of a new houseblock at HMP Elmley in Kent, adding 247 prison places, the Ministry of Justice announced on 9 October.
The prisons minister said the expansion would help address pressure on capacity. The first prisoners are expected to move into the building in the coming weeks.
Elmley, on the Isle of Sheppey, is a Category B and C local and resettlement prison for adult men. The expansion forms part of the Government’s wider programme to increase the number of prison places.
The new accommodation includes strengthened windows intended to prevent drones from delivering contraband. Such security measures are designed to reduce the flow of illicit items into the prison.
A new workshop will also provide opportunities for prisoners to develop employment skills. Ministers link that provision to rehabilitation and reducing reoffending after release.
Completion is the immediate milestone. The announcement does not confirm that all 247 places are occupied or operating at full capacity.
