Bovis Lend Lease been awarded a $113 million construction contract to build the first full-scale prison in the Australian Capital Territory – adding to the group’s long list of significant projects in the territory.
The new jail will see the ACT Government end its agreement with the New South Wales, which was being paid to provide jail accommodation for offenders from the ACT.
The 300-bed jail will house prisoners ranging from high-risk maximum security through to low risk transitional inmates.
The jail will be built on the 60-hectare Alexander Maconochie Centre, to be named for the innovative 19th Century penal reformer who was commandant of Norfolk Island between 1840 and 1844, will be located on the Monaro Highway in Hume, south-east of Canberra.
Bovis Lend Lease’s ACT general manager ACT Michael Seay said the prison which has been on the drawing board for a long time is cutting edge and draws on the best design features of jails from around Australia.
“The client, the ACT Government, has made it clear they expect the new centre to be a ‘healthy prison’, a model for prisoner welfare, rehabilitation and community safety.
“The Centre will be a low impact campus-style design with a range of accommodation types, including single cells, dual occupancy cells and residential style units. We will incorporate sustainability principles where appropriate, including grey water re-usage for irrigation,” he added.
The project will also incorporate the latest security technology, including an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Detection) wristband tracking system that helps guards monitor the whereabouts of inmates at all times.
Construction will start at the end of October this year and is expected to be completed in April 2008.
By Adam Parsons
