Lancashire prison to gain 240 extra places

A north Lancashire prison is to gain 240 extra prison places, the government has said.

HMP Lancaster Farms will gain four new houseblocks, boosting its capacity from 584 to 824 places.

The new cells - part of a plan to tackle overcrowding in existing prisons in England and Wales - will have modern security features such as reinforced windows to tackle threats like drones carrying contraband.

Construction is due to finish by the end of the year.

HMP Lancaster Farms is a Category C resettlement prison for adult men.

The plans also include a new workshop to provide prisoners with training and skills.

The Ministry of Justice has also announced it has signed a contract to start building a new jail in Lancashire for 1,700 inmates.

Catherine McKinnell, minister for prisons, probation and reducing reoffending, said the extra places are "needed to protect the public and take dangerous criminals off our streets".

"These new houseblocks at HMP Lancaster Farms are just the latest step in that work, with more than 3,300 places delivered across the country in little over two years," she said.

However, Prison Officers' Association chairman Mark Fairhurst has previously questioned whether enough staff can be recruited to supervise additional prisoners. He said: "You can create as much additional space as you like, and build as many new prisons as you like, but where are the staff coming from to supervise people?

"Nobody wants to be a prison officer anymore."

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