CMS Advises On PFI Project To Extend Bridgend Prison

CMS Cameron McKenna LLP has advised Bridgend Custodial Services Limited on its project to extend HM Parc Prison, Bridgend, Wales. The shareholders in Bridgend Custodial Services Limited are G4S and Innisfree.

The extension to the existing prison has been structured by way of a government-funded variation to the original documentation and will provide 332 new prisoner places. The project is part of a major programme by the UK government to extend the country’s prison capacity.

The CMS team was led by European Head of Infrastructure & Project Finance (IPF), Frank Dufficy. The team included Andrew Ivison (Partner, IPF), and associates James Thomas, Philip Kennedy, Mark Oliver, Nicole Pask and Alastair Innes.

Frank Dufficy commented, “We had a very challenging timetable to complete a project of this nature, especially given recent volatility in the financial markets.”

In September, a team led by Frank Dufficy (pictured), advised the Holdfast Consortium in its Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) public private partnership (PPP) deal with the Ministry of Defence. The RSME PPP was valued at approximately £300 million capital spend and £2.7 billion revenue spend over a 30 year period. The RSME provides specialised training to Military Engineers to meet operational requirements across the UK’s Armed Forces, including the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Frank Dufficy also previously led the team in 2006 that acted for the Aspire Defence Limited consortium in Project Allenby/Connaught, the £11 billion PFI programme to upgrade accommodation and provide a range of services for the British Army garrisons at Aldershot and around Salisbury Plain.

Eversheds acted for the Department of Justice in the Bridgend prison extension project.