HMP Millsike

With capacity for 1,500 prisoners, the facility has been designed with rehabilitation at its core, aiming to equip individuals with the skills and training needed to secure employment upon release.

The facility comprises six accommodation blocks, a central services hub, an entrance resource hub, workshops, kitchens, a support building, and a care and separation unit (CASU). Its thoughtful, integrated design responds to the operational, environmental, and social objectives set out by the MoJ, delivering a modern custodial environment that supports both safety and rehabilitation.

The project posed several challenges, including the need to deliver a secure and modern custodial environment that prioritises rehabilitation, while also achieving the MoJ’s ambitious sustainability targets. The scale and complexity of the development required a careful balance between operational efficiency, safety, and environmental performance, all within demanding programme and delivery constraints.

To meet these challenges, HMP Millsike was designed as a multi-functional facility with six accommodation blocks, a central services hub, an entrance resource hub, workshops, kitchens, a support building, and a care and separation unit. The design integrates biophilic principles and low-carbon technologies, including air-source heat pumps, solar panels, and energy-efficient lighting systems, enabling the prison to operate on 70 percent less energy than traditional facilities and generate over 8,500kWh of renewable energy on-site. This innovative approach reflects the MoJ’s commitment to creating a more sustainable and rehabilitative justice system, setting a new standard for prison design in the UK.

Delivered in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, the scheme builds on a longstanding partnership spanning over two decades. This trusted relationship has been instrumental in shaping the design of multiple custodial environments, including HMP Five Wells, HMP Fosse Way, and HMP Oakwood. The success of HMP Millsike reflects the value of this ongoing collaboration in realising the MoJ’s ambition to create secure, sustainable, and rehabilitative spaces across the justice estate.