BIDI0001 Strategic Project and Quality Management Assignment Brief
2023/24 Academic Year
Project overview
 The UK Ministry of Justice is currently seeking the views of residents and businesses on proposed plans
for the construction of two new prisons in the Braintree District, County of Essex, in the south-east of
England.
 Having reviewed several sites across the country, the Ministry believes that land at the ‘Wethersfield Air
Base Site’ in Braintree District would be an appropriate location for the two new prisons.
 Before the Ministry of Justice can progress with these proposals, it must engage with the local community
to ensure its’ views are considered and that the intended benefits of the two new prisons are highlighted
(i.e., creating new and local employment opportunities; offering apprenticeships; upskilling people in
construction; and spending locally and with social enterprises).
 The Ministry of Justice has produced a consultation document, which is available on Moodle. Please read
this.
 The proposals form part of a wider programme of new construction and refurbishment work across
England and Wales. This is known as the ‘New Prisons Programme’
Your Task
You are to produce a 2,500-word report setting out the strategic project issues relevant to the project sponsor (The
Ministry of Justice) at each of the project life cycle stages prescribed by the RIBA Plan of Work. Your report must
use currently available public domain information available from The Ministry of Justice, The UK Parliament, Local
Government (i.e. Essex County Council, Braintree District Council) and reference to academic and grey literature
on prison design and construction reform.
Recommended reading
1. Kirkham, R. J. (2022), Estimating. in The Front-end of Large Public Projects Paradoxes and Ways Ahead.
1 edn, vol. 1, Routledge.
2. Cabinet Office (2020), The Construction Playbook [accessed at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-construction-playbook on 13/1/24 at 16:01]
3. United Nations (2016), Technical and operational considerations based on the Standard Minimum Rules
for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules) [accessed at
BARTLETT SCHOOL OF SUSTAINABLE
CONSTRUCTION
https://bip.brpo.gov.pl/sites/default/files/%2FPlanowanie%20i%20budowa%20wi%C4%99zie%C5%84%20
%28UNOPS%2C%202016%29.pdf on 13/1/24 at 16:04]
4. House of Commons Library (2023), The prison estate in England and Wales: Research Briefing [accessed
at https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05646/ on 13/01/24 at 16:07]
H.M. Prison Five Wells, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire (opened 2022)
Site of former Royal Air Force Station Wethersfield, proposed location of the new prison.
Dr Richard Kirkham, University College London, January 2024