Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) has revealed more details for the facility in the central west that is anticipated to create more than 200 new jobs when in operation.

It comes after Minister for Corrections David Elliott came to Wellington on August 5 and turned the first sod to mark the start of work on the expansion.

The new correctional centres at Wellington and Cessnock will be the first rapid-build maximum security prisons in Australia.

They were developed by CSNSW in collaboration with Phillips Smith Conwell Architects.

The 400-bed rapid-build prison concept features four wings, each with four dormitory pods housing 25 inmates.

The department reports they have been carefully designed to provide the highest level of security and safety in NSW for officers and inmates.

Correctional officers will be able to monitor inmates from first-floor corridors that look down on the pod areas.

The corridors are protected by windows that can be opened to allow any security measures to be implemented.

The raised viewing corridors also allow officers to look into each inmate’s sleeping area and the accommodation units include infra-red cameras for night monitoring.

Each 25-person pod includes eight individual bathroom and toilet cubicles that ensure inmate safety during their ablutions.  

A video analytic alarm will be activated if more than one inmate enters, or if an inmate spends too long inside the cubicle.

This is CSNSW’s first move away from the traditional shared ablutions block to individual shower and toilet cubicles for inmates.

The perimeter fence system has multiple secure barriers and sterile zones with anti-climb fences and an Immediate Action Team is stationed within the facility to provide a 24/7 response to critical incidents.

There are two control rooms.  

The control room in the gatehouse monitors and coordinates response to perimeter alarms and controls vehicle and pedestrian access into the centre.  

The internal control room controls all movement around the facility, the coordination of response to duress alarms and the monitoring of accommodation pods and other areas.

Assistant Commissioner Kevin Corcoran said the innovative new design was developed to be built as quickly as possible to meet the short-term demand for beds.

“The first of four of these, at Wellington, in the state’s central west, is expected to start operating late next year,” Mr Corcoran said.

“This new rapid-build prison has been specifically designed with the aim of improving inmate productivity and increasing their out of cells hours by providing greater access to employment, education and programs.

“The inmates’ days have been carefully structured in a way that focuses on intense participation and access to education, employment, programs and activities.

“This structure improves productivity and importantly, increases inmates’ chances of rehabilitation and assists with reintegration back into the community.

“These new beds will also support our Better Prisons reform program to lift standards, strengthen accountability, and help meet the government’s commitment to reduce adult reoffending by 5 per cent.”

The architectural illustrations shown on these pages are for the concept only, with the final designs to be tailored for each site, depending on a range of factors such as topography, privacy and access, CSNSW reports.

The new rapid-build prisons are part of the government’s prison bed expansion program, which will create more than 2000 jobs in correctional centres across the state.

CSNSW will be launching its largest recruitment drive in history to staff the expansion and more information is available at  correctionscareers.justice.nsw.gov.au