Question reference: S5W-33216
- Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 12 November 2020
-
Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the construction of the proposed HMP Highland, which company was awarded the public contract published on 26 August 2020 to provide specialist professional advisory services relating to the development of the new prison facility; how much this cost; what actions were required to address specific planning conditions in the planning consents; what the budgeted cost was for these additional works; what the cost has been to date; what the current projected final cost is; whether the additional works required in the planning permission to open the site have been completed; if so, on what date they were completed; if not, (i) when they will be completed and (ii) on completion of these works, on what date funding will be made available to begin construction of HMP Highland, and what negotiations have taken place for additional public transport availability to and from the new site.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
Baker Hicks Ltd. were awarded the public contract published on 26 August 2020 to provide specialist advisory services relating to the new HMP Highland. The total cost of the services to be provided by Baker Hicks is £50,904.
Planning Permission in Principle (PPIP) for the development of HMP Highland at Inverness Retail and Business park was obtained in December 2017. The permission was granted subject to various Matters Specified in Conditions (MSCs) which must be addressed by the applicant and discharged by the planning authority prior to development commencement Baker Hicks Ltd. were commissioned to carry out preparatory work in support of the discharge of the MSCs and submit the applications to the Highland Council.
The cost of the physical works which are covered by the MSCs, for example landscaping, lighting and drainage will be included in the design and build contract, which has still to reach the invitation to tender stage. None of the physical construction work has therefore commenced.
The total cost to date in progressing the HMP Highland project is £5,516,864, which includes costs associated with the purchase of the land. The current overall project budget estimate is £92m, subject to confirmation of requirements and any changes in inflation projections.
The additional works that are required by the planning permission before opening the site have not been completed. The MSCs require to be agreed through formal application prior to the commencement of the development of the site. This is the work that is currently being progressed by Baker Hicks Ltd. The original deadline for submission of the application(s) to discharge the MSCs was 20 December 2020. This has been extended to 30 September 2021 under the emergency provisions within the Coronavirus legislation. It is our intention to progress the application as soon as practicably possible.
We anticipate that HMP Highland will feature within the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure and Investment plan and funding may form part of budget considerations before the end of this financial year.
Condition 11 of the PPIP requires the Scottish Prison Service to provide a Travel Plan to ensure that there is management and monitoring of traffic generated by staff and visitors travelling to and from the new establishment once it is operational. Traffic impacts were originally modelled within the Transport Assessment which was submitted as part of the PPIP application. The PPIP consent did not include any requirement for the Scottish Prison Service to provide or negotiate any additional public transport services to the site. However, a section 75 agreement was concluded with Highland Council which required the payment of an infrastructure contribution for active travel and road improvements. The S75 agreement also included the transfer of land and the granting of rights over SPS land for road construction/improvement. The latter includes land which has been used for the formation of the new active travel link over the railway line between the University of the Highland and Islands and the Retail Park. This is now in operation and is being utilised by local bus services, pedestrians and cyclists.