Plans to take forward the development of Magilligan Prison moved a step closer this week when the contract for Design Team Services went out to tender.

The Prison Service aims to appoint the successful team by the end of the year.

The decision to redevelop Magilligan Prison was announced by Prisons’ Minister Paul Goggins last December.

The new prison programme and the Strategic Business Case was independently scrutinised by an Office of Government Commerce Review team in June 2008.

This review team found that there was clear and unequivocal justification for the redevelopment of the Magilligan site.

It stated: “We also recognise the highly impressive skills and commitment of staff at Magilligan to the wider needs of the male prison population and the increasing evidence of the whole organisation’s delivery capability.”

NIPS Director Robin Masefield said the NIPS Board was delighted at the Review Team’s recognition of the work at Magilligan and the wider development programme.

He added: “We are committed to providing a new state-of-the-art prison in Magilligan that will enable us to continue the excellent work that has been undertaken at this site for many years.

“It is important that we get a really good Design Team to ensure that the new prison will allow the Service, on behalf of all society, to meet the requirements of public protection in dealing with a growing and increasingly diverse prison population.”

Contact Details