Frequently Asked Questions
This page contains information in response to frequently asked questions regarding the new Northern Correctional Facility.
Is the AYDC site now the designated site for the Northern Correctional Facility?
On 5 May 2022 the Government announced that the AYDC site is now the only site being considered for the development of the NCF.
Is a Custodial Facility a permitted use under the relevant planning scheme at the AYDC site?
Yes. Preliminary desktop assessment by the Department of Justice indicates that under the Tasmanian Planning Scheme for the Meander Valley municipality a custodial facility is a permitted use class within the Community Purpose Zone as it is applied to the AYDC site under the planning scheme.
Why is the Meander Valley region the preferred option for the new correctional facility?
The Meander Valley area was selected as it best meets the criteria stated as part of the site selection process, which includes connectivity to major population centres in the north and north west, and proximity to services and transport routes.
What is the next stage of the project?
The NCF Project Team is progressing the due diligence investigations required as part of the normal statutory planning process. This work will cover comprehensive planning and design work for infrastructure services such as water supply, stormwater, sewage, power supply, communications, security, traffic management, acoustics, visual impact and sustainability. This work will also consider and look at potential ways to address the concerns and issues raised by the community during the public consultation process.
To access the due diligence reports that have currently been finalised, please click on this link.
Would any of the existing infrastructure at Ashley be retained, should the project advance at the site?
The reuse and repurposing of existing infrastructure at the AYDC site is being investigated as part of the due diligence works and initial planning, with the consideration of potential retention of facilities for a female correctional facility to be a part of the project planning.
What will the perimeter fence for the Northern Correctional Facility project look like?
The perimeter fence design has not been decided at this stage of the project and the final design will take some time to be determined with a number of potential options available.
The recently constructed Southern Remand Centre includes a 5.1 metre high concrete perimeter fence topped with a 0.9 metre anti-climb device. A secure 4-5 metre high energised mesh fence may also be used, which is the type of perimeter fence currently installed at some of the other correctional facilities on the Risdon site. There is also the possibility the final perimeter fence could be a combination of both fence types.
What will the design of the facility look like?
No design for the facility exists at this stage of the project. However, the buildings required will include a mixture of accommodation for prisoners as well as the support services needed for the facility including buildings like a kitchen, visits centre, health clinic, trade and industry centre, training and education spaces. The facility will be planned through a design development process undertaken with experienced correctional facility designers. The layout and design of all buildings will be included in the required statutory planning applications to be lodged with the Meander Valley Council as the project progresses.
The Department expects to release a Request for Tender (RFT) for architectural design services for the NCF in 2024.
What are the economic benefits that the Northern Correctional Facility is expected to bring to the area?
The Tasmanian Government is investing $270 million in this project, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs during the construction phase. Importantly for the local economy, the Tasmania Prison Service (TPS) will use local contractors and suppliers wherever possible.
DoJ engaged Deloitte Access Economics to undertake an Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) with reference to the setting of the Meander Valley.
The results of the modelling indicate that the additional investment and activity associated with the NCF will increase Gross Regional Product in the Meander Valley by $289 million.
In addition, the project is expected to create 273 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in the Meander Valley by 2040. The Economic Impact Assessment report was published on 6 July 2023 and is available for view via the following link.
Will a Social and Economic Impact Assessment be undertaken at this new location?
Yes. The NCF Project Team has commissioned new independent Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) reports to further understand the potential economic and social impacts of this project on the region. These assessments were undertaken by independent specialists Andrea Young Planning Consultants and BBC Consulting Planners, and Deloitte Access Economics respectively.
The Economic Impact Assessment report was published on 6 July 2023 and is available for view via the following link.
The draft SIA Report and Social Impact Management Plan is now complete. The community now has the opportunity to review and comment on the draft report before it is finalised by the consultant.
What is the Social Impact Assessment and Social Impact Management Plan?
The specialist consultants are engaging with key stakeholders (e.g. local community services, business and industry), including nearby neighbours of the AYDC site, to further understand the social impacts that this development may have on the Meander Valley region. An important outcome of this work will be to deliver a Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) which outlines how identified impacts may be mitigated through the development of the facility’s design and operational model.
Is the SIA required as part of the planning process?
No.
What is the purpose of this consultation process?
The consultation process will allow the local community including, near neighbours, to have the opportunity to review and comment on both the draft SIA report and SIMP before they are finalised and to ensure it accurately represents the specific concerns that have been identified.
How do I find the draft SIA report?
Download the draft Social Impact Assessment report and Social Impact Management Plan
How do I make a submission on the draft SIA report?
You can make a submission on the draft SIA report either by email or by post
How will my submission be used?
All submissions will be provided to the consultant to finalise the SIA report.
When do submissions close for consultation on the draft SIA report?
All submissions need to be received by 5.00pm Thursday 29 February 2024.
When will the Government finalise this report and consider its recommendations?
The Government will consider the findings of SIA report and provide a formal response to its recommendations in 2024.
How will property values in the area be impacted by this project?
Concerns about impacts on property values is a common concern of communities in response to a proposal for a correctional facility.
This issue has been considered in the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) with reference to the particular setting of the Meander Valley.
Based on the initial analysis within the SIA, the proposed NCF is not anticipated to cause a reduction in housing prices.
This is consistent with past experience in places like New South Wales and Queensland where is has been shown that concerns about the potential reduction in value of properties as a result of the construction and operation of correctional facilities did not eventuate.
Who will be responsible for managing the unlikely scenario of an prisoner absconding from custody at the facility?
Escapes from custody very rarely occur from secure adult correctional facilities. Tasmania Police will be responsible for managing situations if a prisoner absconds from the facility. Tasmania Police and the Tasmania Prison Service will provide communications to affected community members if these situations ever happened to occur at the facility, in line with their normal operating procedures.
What is the maximum number of prisoners the NCF will accommodate?
The NCF will be designed to accommodate up to 270 prisoners.
Where will the infrastructure for site services requirements come from?
DoJ engaged Johnstone McGee & Gandy Pty Ltd (JMG) to undertake the supply of utilities concept designs and reports for infrastructure services to the AYDC site for the development of the NCF.
The report assesses the feasibility of site infrastructure requirements, in terms of external connections for water, sewage, stormwater, power, and communications, plus road junction requirements (as recommended in the Traffic Impact Assessment carried out by Midson Traffic Pty Ltd), as necessary to service the NCF.
An important outcome of the preliminary assessment undertaken by JMG determined that it would be feasible to deliver the site infrastructure requirements, which support the NCF at the AYDC site, without significant upgrading and associated costs.
The concept designs and reports for infrastructure services as well as other due diligence reports, will be provided as supporting information to the Request for Tender for Architectural Services so they can be utilised by the successful tenderer in understanding the site. The requirements of the report will inform the design development of the NCF and be included in the Development Application to be lodged with the Meander Valley Council.
A copy of the Infrastructure Service Assessment report is available via the following link.
Will work commence at the site prior to the closure of AYDC?
The Tasmania Prison Service (TPS) through the Department of Justice will collaborate with the Department for Education, Children and Young People to identify if any parts of the adult facility could potentially be constructed during the transition phase while youths are moved to the new youth facilities that will be built to replace the AYDC. Any construction for the NCF that occurs on the AYDC site and around the existing facility will need to be managed so that it does not disrupt the normal operations of the youth facility.
When is the NCF likely to be operational?
The operational date for the NCF may be impacted by the ability for the Department for Education, Children and Young People to develop a replacement facility due to the logistical challenges of operating both a youth detention centre and an adult correctional facility from the same site and the Government’s previously stated policy is that it will not co-locate the two facilities at the AYDC site. As such, the milestones relating to practical completion may be subject to change, although the Department of Justice is working towards a date to complete stage 1 construction of the NCF by 2028-29, subject to obtaining all the necessary approvals required for the project.
Will the facility be secure?
Yes, community safety is the Tasmanian Government’s number one priority. The design of the NCF will deliver a modern correctional facility that will provide secure accommodation and facilities for the prisoner population it houses.
What type of prisoners will be accommodated at the new correctional facility?
The new facility will primarily accommodate sentenced prisoners who are progressing through their sentences and starting to prepare for reintegration into the community. It will eventually also include a remand and reception centre for offenders who have been detained in custody pending their court appearances.
Will the new correctional facility include maximum security prisoners?
The new NCF will be used primarily for sentenced prisoners who are progressing through their sentences and starting to prepare for reintegration into the community, as well as a remand and reception centre for offenders who have been newly received into custody and those detained in custody pending the outcomes of their court appearances.
To enable the NCF’s primary focus on rehabilitation and reintegration for prisoners transitioning through their sentences, the Tasmanian Government is investing in an additional maximum security accommodation unit at the Risdon Prison Complex in southern Tasmania. This includes $50 million in the 2023-24 State Budget for the development of this new unit, which will also help alleviate current bed pressures for maximum security prisoners.
Will the facility be illuminated at all times?
For security and safety reasons, the secure perimeter of the facility is required to be illuminated from dusk until dawn to allow for visual detection of movement and to facilitate the 24-hour operation of the facility. The design phase of the new correctional facility will explore every option to reduce any visual impacts of the lighting emitted. Modern lighting for correctional facilities can be installed at low lux levels that only increase in brightness as a result of an emergency response.
How will the facility improve recidivism rates?
By locating a facility in the northern region of the State, prisoners originating from or with family in the north and north west will have the possibility of being located closer to family, friends and support networks. There is clear evidence that maintaining links with family and support networks contributes to lower recidivism rates and improved rehabilitation outcomes. The operating model of the new facility will have a key focus on rehabilitation, education and reintegration. It will provide opportunities for prisoners to engage in educational and training opportunities that better prepare them for reintegration into the community, thereby helping to reduce recidivism.
How will youth justice outcomes be delivered upon closure of the AYDC?
The Government is committed to closing the AYDC and establishing new facilities as part of a reform of the entire Youth Justice System.
The reforms to youth justice will be supported by a suite of new facilities to replace the AYDC. The Proposed Youth Justice Facilities Model, outlines a nation-leading response including assisted bail, secure custody and support for young people transitioning back into the community.
For more information on the reforms to the Tasmanian Youth Justice System, visit decyp.tas.gov.au
I still have questions about this project, how do I contact the project team?
If you have further enquiries about this project please send your enquiry through to northerncorrectionalfacility@justice.tas.gov.au.
How do I register for project updates?
If you would like to receive updates on the project’s progress you can register for our mailing list via email to northerncorrectionalfacility@justice.tas.gov.au