Wates Group, a prominent UK family-owned building, property maintenance and development firm, yesterday celebrated a milestone in the £119m expansion of HMP Erlestoke in Wiltshire with an official groundbreaking event alongside the Ministry of Justice and its delivery partners.

Construction operations commenced on the site in February this year. Progress is underway on three new 60-bed secure houseblocks, which are designed to provide 180 new category C prison places. The infrastructure project also features a new vocational training workshop and upgrades to current facilities, aimed at boosting prisoner rehabilitation and cutting reoffending rates by offering access to skills and education.

The expansion project is tied to the Small Secure Houseblocks (SSH) Programme, which forms part of the government's broader strategy to establish 14,000 extra prison places. By utilising modern construction techniques, the SSH Programme intends to raise capacity across existing prisons by more than 1,000 places.

As part of its social value pledges, Wates has committed to employing a minimum of five prison leavers, whilst also providing training opportunities and apprenticeships. This is backed by a dedicated plan created alongside the charity sector to foster sustainable employment routes. Early milestones on site reflect this goal, with five apprentices already hired within the first two months of the scheme. Additionally, the project's opening two months have seen 28 hours of careers advice provided across two regional prisons, 48 hours of community engagement work completed, and 76 prisoners involved in purposeful activities.

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Comprising a workshop building and several residential houseblocks, the HMP Erlestoke project is targeting a BREEAM New Construction Outstanding certification. The goal is to establish all-electric, sustainable custodial infrastructure that operates with high energy efficiency and a low carbon footprint, aligning with the UK government's green commitments to lower environmental impacts. The build is utilising standardised designs and repeatable construction methods used across the wider Ministry of Justice programme. This approach aims to redirect at least 95% of waste away from landfill, limit overall construction waste, source a minimum of 70% of building materials through a sustainable supply chain, and utilise Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as a diesel substitute to keep construction carbon emissions as low as possible.

Furthermore, over 65% of the houseblock structure will be built using offsite manufacturing and standardised pre-cast concrete panels to optimise efficiency and lower waste. This method reduces carbon output, accelerates delivery times, and guarantees that the new prison accommodation meets rigorous quality and security metrics.

Mark Craig, Managing Director for Construction South at Wates, stated: "HMP Erlestoke marks another important step in our ongoing partnership with the Ministry of Justice to deliver modern, secure and sustainable prison facilities. The expansion will not only provide much-needed prison spaces but create facilities that help support opportunities for rehabilitation and skills development.

"Wates is proud to play a part in creating safer communities and supporting positive futures."

Fiona Parker, Deputy Director, Small Secure Houseblocks Programme, His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), remarked: "This expansion at HMP Erlestoke marks a critical step forward in delivering modern, secure, and rehabilitative prison facilities as part of our wider commitment to increase prison capacity. The new houseblocks and vocational training workshop will help ensure prisoners have the opportunity to develop skills that support their reintegration into society, ultimately helping to reduce reoffending and protect the public."

The delivery of the project also involves other key partners, including Mace Consult and AECOM.

Construction of the new houseblocks is currently targeting completion by the end of 2027.