Britspace Erects 60-cell Housing Block in Eight Weeks
YARM, England — Yorkshire-based Britspace Modular Buildings Ltd. unveiled a new 60-cell modular housing unit developed in conjunction with Her Majesty’s Prison Service to provide a secure, efficient, quick and budget-friendly solution to prison overcrowding, facility modernization and fiscal pressures.
Britspace handed over the new A9 generation two-story housing blocks after eight weeks of on-site work at HMP Kirklevington. Requiring five weeks factory build time and two to three weeks of installation work, the modular housing blocks feature wet cells that are designed to provide inmates with more space and modern amenities than existing facilities.
Two similar housing blocks were completed recently at the 466-bed HMP Blundeston, in Suffolk, and the 392-bed HMP Rochester, in Kent. Modular housing units are planned for other locations, officials say.
Precision-formed, heavy duty steel ceilings are designed to prevent roof access from the interior, while anti-climb rainwater guttering and 3-foot deep fascias, manufactured by Rochdale-based Guttermaster, provide a no-climb surface around the roof and building exterior, officials say.
Fascias are integrated into the aluminum gutters, which fit flush to exterior walls and feature an interlocking design and tamper-resistant, concealed fittings.
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| The new A9 generation modular housing blocks are designed to provide inmates with more space and modern amenities. |
Prefabricated soakers, built into the roofing framework, interconnect with ceilings panels to improve speed and ease of connection to ventilation systems.
The units, which are manufactured with durable, low-maintenance, easy-clean, tamper-resistant surfaces and finishes, also incorporate enhanced insulation to maintain interior temperature stability and reduce energy consumption year round, officials say.
