The bill to replace Scotland’s most notorious prison with a state-of-the-art super-jail has soared to £400million – four times the original cost. Scottish Government ministers had initially pencilled in £100million to replace Barlinnie with the new purpose-built HMP Glasgow.
But the Sunday Mail has uncovered documents which show the most up-to-date figure has soared way beyond that and suggest it could be higher still.
According to the Scottish Government’s infrastructure plan up to 2025-26, the £400million cost of HMP Glasgow will be “updated following full business case and procurement”.
It said work on the site should get under way in September, with an operational date estimated for September 2026.
Scottish Tory shadow justice secretary Jamie Greene said: “Taxpayers are yet again set to pay the price for the SNP’s total mismanagement when it comes to delivering major infrastructure projects.
“It is scarcely believable that costs have soared to four times their estimated original cost. That is hundreds of millions that could be used to support hardworking prison officers and our overstretched justice system but is now having to be diverted towards bailing out the errors of SNP ministers.”
He added: “It is particularly galling when we see victims’ organisations and charities struggling to make ends meet. The new justice secretary must get a grip on this project immediately and guarantee that the costs to the public purse won’t completely spiral out of control.”
Preparatory works are under way at the 54-acre location in Provanmill, where the “new modern and fit-for-purpose” jail will replace Barlinnie and house up to 1200 of the most dangerous prisoners in
Scotland.
Previous reports about the cost of the site, from August 2021, said it had risen to £300million. At the time the prison service blamed rising costs due to Covid and Brexit.
The Scottish Government said: “We are committed to replacing HMP Barlinnie with HMP Glasgow, which is being designed
to deliver safe and secure accommodation, with maximum opportunity for successful rehabilitation.
“Costs are dependent on market conditions and inflationary pressures, as well as the final design.”
Built in 1882, Barlinnie is deemed “no longer fit for purpose”.
The new prison masterplan contains smart building technologies supporting community-based designs to ensure HMP Glasgow is a secure, net-zero carbon facility fit for the 21st century.
Updated plans submitted to Glasgow City Council at the end of last year included several developments from initial designs including a reduction in the sizes of the house block communities from 30 cells to 20.
The new prison will also have football pitches, tree-lined paths and en-suite cells.
There are calls for the old site to be retained as a museum like Peterhead Prison.
Barlinnie has witnessed attempted breakouts, prisoner riots, roof-top protests, inmate killings and 10 executions. It housed some of the most feared offenders in Scottish criminal history including serial killer Peter Manuel and gangsters Paul Ferris and Arthur Thompson.
Michael Stoney, governor of Barlinnie and leading on HMP Glasgow, said: “We’ve set out a bold vision which will provide the maximum possible benefit to those who live and work there, and surrounding communities.”
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