RISERS have been erected for the five planned houseblocks at HMP Glasgow in a major milestone on the £998 million project.
Kier is leading construction of the prison, which will replace the Victorian-era HMP Barlinnie and have capacity for 1,344 people. Work first began in the summer of 2025, with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) confirming that the project remains on schedule to complete in 2028.
The ‘groundbreaking’ design of the prison is based around small communities, making it easier to manage different populations. It is also trauma-informed and uses space to support good mental health and wellbeing. The use of technology will free up staff time to allow for more positive engagement time with those living in HMP Glasgow, SPS said.
At a time when the Scottish prison population has reached a record high, it is also designed to accommodate 357 more people than HMP Barlinnie – which SPS stated is no longer fit for purpose.
Scottish Government justice secretary Neil Gray said, “I am very pleased to help mark a key milestone in the construction of HMP Glasgow and to see first-hand how the new prison, which will add 357 more places to the prison estate, is taking shape.
“This is an investment in our prison system and a safer Scotland. With increased capacity, HMP Glasgow will focus on how prisoners are rehabilitated so they are less likely to reoffend when they are released back into the community.
“The new prison will also considerably improve working conditions for hard working prison staff and will deliver £450 million worth of economic benefits, including jobs and contracts for businesses in Scotland, with 50% of project spend benefitting the local supply chain.”
Linda Pollock, chief executive of the SPS, added, “HMP Glasgow is not only essential to long-term sustainability of our prison estate, but will also be transformative for those in our care, our staff, and the communities that depend upon it.
“I am delighted to see the project reach this important milestone and look forward to the continued progress of the new build.”
Matt Collins, operations director at Kier Construction, commented, “We are enormously proud of the progress being made at HMP Glasgow. Today’s celebration highlights the innovative technologies being used to ensure that this complex and critical development is delivered safely on time, to cost and to the highest quality.
“This is about delivering a modern, rehabilitative facility while ensuring a real, lasting impact.
“To date, £347.6 million has been invested with Scottish supply chain businesses. Kier has already surpassed our ambition to create 100 new jobs during construction, with 115 generated to date. Of those, 25 have created opportunities for people with lived experience of the justice system through our Making Ground programme.”
