Developers have revealed when a controversial women’s custody unit in the Hilltown could finally open.
A provisional date of the summer 2022 has been revealed by Scottish Prison Service (SPS) bosses, who have also confirmed recruitment for the facility has now begun.
The original completion date was delayed due to Covid-19, with construction work only resuming at the end of last year.
But work is now well ahead on the unit, which will be on the site of the former Our Lady’s Primary School in Nelson Street.
Head of corporate affairs for the SPS, Tom Fox, said: “We have obviously had delays due to the pandemic.
“It was originally hoped that the unit would be completed by last summer and then again by this summer but obviously that couldn’t happen.
“However, work has now been ongoing for a few months and is well on track to be completed by early spring 2022 with a potential opening date of next summer.”
New staff being sought
Tom added: “We are actively recruiting for posts in the centre, assessing the types of women who will be sent there and also continuing to inform the local community about what is proposed and listening to their concerns with a view to reassuring them about how the unit will operate.”
After the unit was approved by Dundee City Council back in 2018, there was an immediate backlash, with more than 1,300 people signing a petition objecting to the complex.
The complex will house up to 16 female prisoners, mainly from Dundee and the surrounding areas, who have been assessed as suitable to be reintroduced to the community.
‘We have to focus on the benefits’
Chairman of Coldside Community Council, Margaret Wemyss, said that the group and local residents now had a good working relationship with the SPS.
She said: “Of course there is still concern over this unit but the Scottish Prison Service has listened to us and addressed many of our concerns.
“For example one of the things that worried us were traffic issues but that has been addressed and we don’t think it will now pose the difficulties we had originally envisaged.
“However, this unit is here to stay and we can’t dwell on our worries. We fought hard to prevent it but that didn’t happen. The community has quietened down but we will definitely still be keeping a very close eye on what develops at the unit, more so now when it actually opens.
“We have to focus on what benefits the local community might be able to derive from this.
“The Scottish Prison Service has been fabulous in the way they have worked with us so we are hopeful that relationship can continue.”
Fresh anger as work set to restart on controversial women’s custody unit in Hilltown