HMP Stirling

Every sector has its own challenges. 

In healthcare, often it is about creating calm, therapeutic environments.  

However, in prison, safety is paramount – particularly when incidents of self-harm across the UK prison system are at record levels. 

Government statistics show prison deaths are up year-on-year, while self-harm rates in both male and female prisons are at their highest level since records began in 2004. 

That’s why Polar NE’s state-of-the-art anti-ligature solutions are increasingly being utilised across the prison estate. 

HMP Stirling – Scotland’s new £85m women’s prison – is a prime example.  

This impressive, award-winning facility is the replacement for the ageing Cornton Vale, and has been designed to provide a safe, rehabilitative environment that focuses on recovery and wellbeing for up to 100 women.  

It is unlike any other British prison; Bright and airy, the design embraces a therapeutic  approach to prisoner care.  

Working with Morrison Construction and Holmes Miller Architects, Polar NE was tasked with supplying and installing the windows across the development. 

The products 

Polar NE’s expert team installed: 

* 60 x Humber Two Secure windows  

* Trent Secure fixed windows beneath each unit 

This combination provided both natural light and high levels of safety, balancing security with the crucial need to create a safe space that aid rehabilitation and wellbeing. 

As images from inside the prison show, the rooms are unlike the gloomy prison cells of yesteryear. 

Prisoners benefit from views of stunning countryside in an environment that is safe and secure. 

The delivery 

This was a project where detail mattered. Every window had to meet the highest standards of security, durability and anti-ligature design. 

By working closely with the construction and architectural teams, Polar NE ensured that the products integrated seamlessly into the fabric of the new prison, with installation completed on time and to specification. 

The result 

The result is a facility that not only redefines Scotland’s custodial provision for women but also reflects the growing role Polar NE plays beyond healthcare. 

While NHS sites remain very much at the heart of our business, there’s a growing need for our windows and doors in other environments. 

Be it prisons, schools or even the private sector, we have a proud history of delivering outstanding results for the client – whatever their industry.