The final structural beam has been installed at HMP Welland Oaks in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, the Ministry of Justice announced November 13. The Category B prison for adult men is expected to receive its first prisoners at the start of 2029.

Work will now focus on security infrastructure and rehabilitation facilities, including counter-drone systems, measures to block illicit mobile phones and workshops for education and skills. Structural completion is a construction milestone; the planned prison places will become available when the facility opens.

The department’s September 2026 project figures record 501 on-site jobs and 29 apprentices. It says £269 million, or 85.5% of project spending at that point, went to businesses within 50 miles of the site. Those spending and employment figures relate to September, while the structural milestone is reported in this week’s update.