Key Points

• Kier has been appointed by the Ministry of Justice to deliver a £59m fire safety improvement programme at HMP Wandsworth.
• Construction work is already under way at the Grade II-listed Category B and C prison in the London Borough of Wandsworth.
• The project forms part of the MoJ’s wider fire safety strategy for the prison estate.
• Kier said the scheme would also explore opportunities to introduce its Making Ground programme, which supports skills development and employment pathways for prison leavers.
• The contractor has previously delivered thousands of prison places for the MoJ, as well as fire safety improvement programmes across the prison estate.
• John Bolton, regional director for public sector projects at Kier Construction London and Thames Valley, said the company would draw on its experience of delivering other infrastructure upgrades in live, secure environments.
• Kier is also delivering other major projects in west and south-west London, including Earl’s Court Primary School, Manbre Wharf, Clarendon SEND School and the Twickenham Riverside regeneration scheme.

Wandsworth (South London News) July 20, 2026 –Kier has started work on a £59m fire safety improvement programme at HMP Wandsworth after being appointed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), with construction already under way at the Grade II-listed Category B and C prison in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The contractor said the works are intended to improve fire safety and support the continued safe and compliant operation of the prison as part of the ministry’s wider fire safety strategy for the national prison estate.

As reported by Construction News, the project is being delivered by Kier, which said it had previously delivered thousands of prison places for the MoJ, as well as fire safety improvement programmes across the prison estate.

John Bolton, regional director for public sector projects at Kier Construction London and Thames Valley, said the company would draw on its experience of delivering other infrastructure upgrades in live, secure environments.

What is the scope of the HMP Wandsworth fire safety works?

The programme at HMP Wandsworth is described by Kier as a fire safety improvement scheme designed to enhance protection within the historic prison buildings while maintaining operational continuity.

The works are taking place at the Grade II-listed site, which houses both Category B and Category C prisoners, meaning any upgrade must balance heritage constraints with modern safety standards.

According to Construction News, the contractor said the scheme would also explore opportunities to introduce its Making Ground programme, which supports skills development and employment pathways for prison leavers across the contractor’s wider portfolio.

That element of the project is positioned as a potential social value outcome alongside the core fire safety objectives.

How does this fit into the Ministry of Justice’s wider fire safety strategy?

Kier stated that the Wandsworth works form part of the MoJ’s wider fire safety strategy for the prison estate. The ministry has been undertaking a programme of fire safety upgrades across prisons following heightened scrutiny of fire risk in older public buildings andcustodial facilities.

The MoJ has not issued a separate public statement quoted in the available reports, but Kier’s description of the project as part of a broader ministry strategy indicates that the Wandsworth works are one component of a national effort to bring prison buildings into line with updated fire safety expectations and regulatory requirements.

Which other projects is Kier delivering for the MoJ and in London?

Kier said it had previously delivered thousands of prison places for the MoJ, as well as fire safety improvement programmes across the prison estate. Ongoing work for the MoJ includes the £1bn HMP Glasgow project, which the contractor is building to replace HMP Barlinnie by 2028, according to Construction News.

In London, Kier highlighted several recent and current projects in west and south-west London. The contractor said it had recently completed Earl’s Court Primary School and Manbre Wharf, part of the ARC West London Refinery life sciences development, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It is also delivering Clarendon Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) School for Richmond Council and the Twickenham Riverside mixed-use regeneration scheme.

Bolton, in comments reported by Construction News, said Kier would draw on its experience of delivering other infrastructure upgrades in live, secure environments, pointing to this portfolio of work as relevant to the complexities of working within an operational prison.

What is the Making Ground programme, and how might it be used at Wandsworth?

Kier said the Wandsworth scheme would explore opportunities to introduce its Making Ground programme, which the contractor describes as supporting skills development and employment pathways for prison leavers across its wider portfolio.

The programme is designed to connect people with training, work experience and job opportunities in construction and related sectors.

While the reports do not set out detailed plans for how Making Ground will operate specifically at HMP Wandsworth, Kier’s statement indicates that the contractor is considering how the fire safety works could be linked to skills and employment support for people leaving prison, in line with broader government and sector goals around reducing reoffending through work and training.

Who are the main parties involved in the project?

The main parties identified in the reporting are:

• Ministry of Justice (MoJ): The government department responsible for the prison estate, which appointed Kier and is overseeing the wider fire safety strategy for prisons.
• Kier: The main contractor appointed to deliver the £59m fire safety improvement programme at HMP Wandsworth.
• HMP Wandsworth: The operational prison where the works are taking place, managed by the MoJ’s prison service.
• Kier Construction London and Thames Valley: The regional division of Kier delivering the project, led on the public sector side by regional director John Bolton, whose comments were reported by Construction News.

No individual statements from MoJ officials, prison governors or prisoner representatives were included in the available reports.

What is known about the timeline and current status of the works?

Construction News reported that construction work is under way on the project. The reporting does not provide a detailed schedule, start and completion dates, or phasing plan for the Wandsworth fire safety works.

The only specific timeline reference in the available material relates to Kier’s separate HMP Glasgow project, which is due to replace HMP Barlinnie by 2028.

The absence of a published timetable for Wandsworth in the available reports means that the exact duration of the fire safety programme, any planned closures or restrictions within the prison, and the sequencing of works across different wings or buildings have not been disclosed in the source material.

Background of the development

HMP Wandsworth is a long-established prison in south-west London, housed in Grade II-listed buildings that predate modern fire safety standards. Like many older prisons in England and Wales, the site combines historic architecture with the need to meet contemporary safety, security and operational requirements.

In recent years, the UK prison estate has faced increased scrutiny over building safety, including fire risk, following broader national debates about fire safety in public and residential buildings.

The Ministry of Justice has been working on a programme of fire safety improvements across prisons, aiming to reduce risk and ensure compliance with updated regulations and guidance.

Kier has been a significant contractor for the MoJ, delivering new prison places and carrying out fire safety improvement programmes across the estate.

The appointment to deliver the £59m Wandsworth scheme reflects both the scale of the work required at the site and the contractor’s existing relationship with the ministry. The inclusion of the Making Ground programme in discussions around the project aligns with wider policy goals around rehabilitation, skills and employment for people leaving prison.

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Prediction: How this development could affect prisoners, staff and the local community

The £59m fire safety upgrade at HMP Wandsworth is likely to have several practical effects on different groups, based on the nature of the works and the context provided in the reports.

• Prisoners: Improved fire safety measures should reduce the risk of fire-related incidents and may lead to changes in how certain areas of the prison are used or accessed during the works. Depending on the phasing of construction, some prisoners could experience temporary disruptions, such as relocated cells or modified routines, although the reporting does not specify these details. If the Making Ground programme is implemented in connection with the works, some prisoners may gain access to training or work-related opportunities linked to the construction activity.
• Prison staff and operations: Staff will need to manage day-to-day operations alongside ongoing construction in a secure, live environment. The works may require additional coordination between prison management, the contractor and security teams to ensure that safety, security and operational priorities are maintained. Over the longer term, upgraded fire systems and infrastructure could simplify some aspects of safety management and compliance.
• Local community and emergency services: While the reporting does not indicate any major external impacts, large-scale construction at a prison in a residential area can affect local traffic, noise levels and demand on emergency services during incidents. Improved fire safety within the prison could also reduce the likelihood of major incidents that might require external emergency response, potentially benefiting the surrounding neighbourhood.
• Policy and sector implications: If the Wandsworth project is delivered on time and within budget while maintaining safe operations, it may serve as a reference point for similar fire safety upgrades at other older prisons. The integration of skills and employment initiatives such as Making Ground could also influence how future prison infrastructure projects are structured to deliver social value alongside core safety objectives.

The overall effect will depend on how the works are phased, the extent to which Making Ground is implemented, and how well the contractor, MoJ and prison management coordinate to minimise disruption while achieving the stated fire safety improvements.