28 new cells could be added to Holme House prison

A prison in Teesside could have more than 20 new cells under plans being considered by Stockton Council.

The Ministry of Justice has submitted plans for 28 cells to the local authority as part of a £4 billion national program to build, expand and refurbish prisons. It plans to build on a 0.2 hectare site in the Holme House prison complex, where a small office building will be demolished under a separate plan.

The proposed developments also include 152 places at Kirklevington Grange prison in Yarm. This will make a total of 172 extra beds in Teesside’s prisons, but it is understood no more staff will be brought in to support them, according to a report sent to the council.

Holme House’s proposals detail 20 “rapid deployment cells” and eight “auxiliary units” with a factory room, fence, office space, kitchen, relaxation areas at the Category C men’s prison. In a supporting statement , agents Cushman & Wakefield say: “Rapid deployment cells are designed to deal with short-term prison population pressures while permanent and long-term facilities are being built.

“The units provide a flexible capacity solution that can be deployed at pace throughout the prison. The units will be modern, decent and will give the prison a good option to manage its progressive regimes (independent living for risk assessed prisoners).

“The additional units will help support the physical and mental well-being of inmates through short-term prison population pressures or through maintenance and renovation projects. The proposed modular units will provide additional accommodation to the existing prison population. A similar scheme implemented to address Covid-19 cases was successful and resulted in improved inmate welfare.”

They hope the council will grant the scheme a “certificate of lawfulness”, meaning it would be “permitted development” so it would not need planning permission. It is part of a Ministry of Justice prison expansion program to provide an extra 20,000 prison places nationwide as the total prison population is expected to rise to more than 100,000 by the end of November 2025.

A report by environmental consultants Enzygo says: “At Holme House, the preferred option is to replace a Covid 19 office building and ‘PPE storage store’ with new RDCP (rapid cell deployment program) units to accommodate 20 additional prisoners”.

It shows the 172 proposed ‘prisoner accommodation’ beds on Teesside – 152 at Kirklevington Grange, replacing demolished blocks, 20 at Holme House. Population numbers were considered “worst case”, with the report adding: “It is understood that staff numbers will not increase to support either of the two developments.”