Kier secures £150 million deal

Kier, the construction, development and service group has been awarded the contract to build Featherstone prison in Wolverhampton. This win for Kier comes off the back of a winning bid to construct Brighton and Hove Council's £26 million Falmer Academy scheme.

Preparatory work for the 1,620-place prison scheme is due to start this summer, with main contract work beginning later in the year. The first two house blocks are expected to open in spring 2012 and a third block in summer 2012.

The government said a separate competition to operate the prison would be announced in due course.