Offsite Manufacturing for the New HMP Gartree Prison
Manufacturing is in full swing for the new Category B prison at HMP Gartree, Market Harborough, where PCE Ltd has been appointed by Wates as the superstructure and façade delivery partner.
Proven System, Scaled for HMP Gartree
Building on the PCE’s proven success at HMP Five Wells (Wellingborough), HMP Fosse Way (Glen Parva) and HMP Millsike (York), the project once again deploys PCE’s award-winning HybriDfMA Secure Prison System, a systemised Platform-DfMA structural solution that utilises a ‘Kit-of-Parts’ approach of optimised yet configurable structural components. When complete, the facility will house over 1,700 prisoners and support rehabilitation through 28 workshops and classrooms.
Scalable Offsite Manufacturing
Across seven factories in PCE’s European supply chain, 14,000 precision-engineered components are being produced over a 12-month programme. This Kit-of-Parts includes:
- External solid walls & brick-faced sandwich panels
- Precast columns, beams and internal walls (loadbearing & non-loadbearing)
- Hollowcore planks, stairs, landings and insitu toppings
- Structural steel, Deltabeams®, parapets, upstands and plinths
These elements will form seven houseblocks, an entrance building and a Care & Separation Unit.
Quality from the Ground Up
Every unit is designed for robustness and longevity, with concrete strengths from C35/45 to C60/75 and a 100-year design life. Offsite production in controlled environments ensures consistent Type C finishes. “First-cast” benchmarks—agreed by PCE, Wates and the MoJ—lock in the quality standard for every subsequent unit, with PCE Quality Controllers stationed across factories to monitor and support offsite manufacturing of the highest quality standards.
Throughout manufacture, free-issue items—including cell doors, windows and conduits—are integrated during casting so that security and M&E requirements are embedded from the outset.
Digital Control & Transparency
Using Ynomia, PCE creates a 3D digital twin that tracks every component from factory to site through embedded Bluetooth tags. Real-time visibility supports just-in-time logistics, predictable delivery and a clear audit trail of QA data, supporting Golden Thread compliance.
Driving Sustainability
Lessons from PCE’s Decarbonising Precast Concrete programme—developed with the MoJ and industry experts—cut embodied carbon by 12% versus HMP Fosse Way, saving 753kg CO2e per prisoner place. Revised concrete mixes preserve full structural performance while significantly reducing environmental impact.
PCE’s HybriDfMA approach at HMP Gartree showcases how advanced offsite manufacturing, real-time digital oversight and proactive carbon reduction combine to deliver secure, efficient and sustainable prison infrastructure—setting a clear benchmark for the future.
