PCE to Deliver Superstructure & Façade for HMP Channings Wood Expansion

PCE Ltd has been engaged by Kier to provide the superstructure and façade for the planned expansion of HMP Channings Wood, Devon. The Category C facility will gain two new T60 houseblocks, built from more than 3,700 offsite-engineered components, increasing the prison’s capacity by around 500 places as part of the Ministry of Justice’s prison capacity programme.

Continuing a Strong Partnership

This latest award strengthens PCE’s reputation as a trusted delivery partner on the UK’s New Prison Programme. It also extends a proven working relationship with Kier, following successful joint delivery of projects including HMP Five Wells, HMP Fosse Way, HMP Millsike, HMP Elmley, HMP Bullingdon, HMP Lancaster Farms and HMP Northumberland.

The new accommodation will support rehabilitation and resettlement, providing access to workshops and classrooms designed to upskill inmates, preparing them for meaningful employment on release.

Secure Prison: Platform-DfMA Efficiency

The scheme will deploy PCE’s Secure Prison system, a Platform-DfMA structural solution built around an optimised Kit-of-Parts. Each element is engineered to project-specific requirements, integrating security features and M&E services while maintaining repeatable quality through Smart Connectivity (PCE’s standardised interface for structural connections).

By working closely with the client, Kier and design teams, PCE ensures seamless integration from design through manufacture and assembly. With no owned production facilities, PCE has the freedom to select the best manufacturing partners from across its European supply network, achieving the right balance of scale, cost and quality on every project.

Digital Oversight from Factory to Site

Using Ynomia, PCE provides end-to-end digital tracking for every component. Real-time QA data, engineering records and status updates are captured in a single, secure platform—supporting Golden Thread compliance and enabling just-in-time logistics for predictable, coordinated delivery.

Reducing Carbon Footprint

PCE’s Decarbonising Precast Concrete initiative, developed in collaboration with the MoJ and industry experts, continues to deliver tangible results. Compared with HMP Fosse Way, the approach has achieved a 12% reduction in embodied carbon, equivalent to 753 kg CO2e per prisoner place, without affecting structural performance or design life.

Building for the Future

The expansion at HMP Channings Wood demonstrates how advanced offsite manufacturing, data-driven oversight and lower-carbon solutions can create secure, efficient and future-ready prison accommodation. It reinforces PCE’s commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable infrastructure across the UK’s custodial estate.

Images taken from different prison projects