PLANS for a £400 million prison to replace HMP Barlinnie have been approved.
Glasgow City Council has given the green light to an application to build the new prison complex on the former Provan Gas Works site in the east end of the city.
HMP Glasgow will have five four-storey residential housing blocks at its centre, which will be equipped with heat pumps and solar panels.
Initial estimates for the replacement for HMP Barlinnie had been around £170m. However, in November, Justice Secretary Angela Constance said replacing the “somewhat Victorian” prison would likely cost around £400m.
Michael Stoney, the governor of HMP Barlinnie who is leading on HMP Glasgow, told the BBC in August that the old site was overcrowded, outdated, and at risk of “catastrophic failure”.
Speaking after plans for the replacement prison were approved, Stoney said: "We have consulted with partners and set out a bold vision for a new HMP Glasgow, which will provide the maximum possible benefit to those who live and work there, and our surrounding communities.
"Through a better quality of living environment, and strong relationships with staff, we are determined to help those in our care comprehend and understand how they can move forward and set themselves on the road to a better future.
"HMP Glasgow will be a strong and supportive partner, both locally and to the wider Scottish justice system, delivering a social value that benefits the wellbeing of our wider communities."
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: "The proposal was considered to be in accordance with the development plan and there were no material considerations which outweighed the proposal's accordance with the development plan."
The new prison will be built between the neighbourhoods of Royston and Blackhill.
HMP Barlinnie was ruled to no longer be fit for purpose in 2020, with a new jail initially set to open in 2025 to replace it, but the deadline has since been pushed back to 2027.
Stoney previously said the new prison could lead to a 20% reduction in re-offending due to increased rehabilitation services.
