The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has announced the award of a contract to Carillion Construction Limited to design and construct a new prison in Bishopbriggs.

The prison, which will be known as HMP Low Moss, is the first of four new prisons being built under the Scottish Government's prison modernisation programme.

HMP Low Moss will be built on the site of the former prison of the same name which closed in 2007. The new prison will provide 700 prisoner places and is expected to open in 2012.

Construction of the new prison is expected to start on site later this year following completion of the planning process with East Dunbartonshire Council.

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The design and construction works will cost around £116m and will be completed around the end of 2011.

The former prison has already been demolished and the site prepared for construction. Road improvements have also been undertaken in advance of the main works in order to facilitate the new development.

Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of SPS, said: "I am delighted that the construction of the new prison will shortly be underway and that it will, in accordance with Scottish Government policy, be run by public sector staff.

"This investment will provide a significant amount of employment during the construction phase and several hundred new jobs across a wide range of skills and disciplines when the prison becomes operational in 2012."

The SPS is also taking forward the building of the other three new prisons announced under the Scottish Government prison modernisation programme - HMP Grampian will replace HMP Aberdeen and HMP Peterhead, HMP Highland will replace HMP Inverness and HMP Inverclyde will replace HMP Greenock. These new prison developments are expected to follow over the next 2-3 years.

(GK/JM)