HBS were appointed by SRW, to provide a scheme and detailed M&E design, for a new young women’s unit (YWU) at an existing live detention/training centre located in Hassockfield, County Durham. HBS duties included; site surveys in a live detention centre, preparation of brief/requirements for services, mechanical, electrical and public health design, witness commissioning and BREEAM assistance.

The project construction started in early 2006, was handed over in October 2006 and is now in operation. The project comprised a new two storey building plus roof plant room, for the purpose of secure accommodation and teaching facilities for young women offenders. The building was required to comply with prison service orders and prison service standards, but also allowing for a softer visual environment with compliance to the youth justice board standards.

A small number of first floor bedrooms were assigned for mother-and-baby with the remaining designed for single person/bed use. Teaching areas included; performance, arts, trades, IT, domestic cooking, hairdressing and beauty were provided with robust/vandal resistant lighting, fittings and ventilation services etc constructed for a secure, but soft appearance environment to generally fit in with the building ethos.

Bedrooms were provided with anti-tamper anti-ligature fittings to eliminate/resist self harm. Other areas of lesser vulnerability to self harm were designed as a vandal resistance environment.