HMP Bronzefield is the first purpose-designed women’s prison since Holloway. It has a CNA of 450 spread through three two-story high cross-shaped house blocks. Residential units are limited to a maximum of 34 prisoners, and are arranged around a large landscaped square with free-flow circulation. A strong operational brief focusing particularly on women prisoners’ needs was developed at the outset with operational staff. An awareness of issues such as the prevalence of self-harm, family responsibilities, support requirements, and typical sentence structure has informed all stages of the design including careful considerations of scale, detail, and finish.
