The prison opened in 2000 under a 25-year private finance initiative (PFI) contract to provide 800 places as a category B local prison. Spaces gradually increased to 1,160 before a 264-place extension was opened in November 2009. Following a reduction in prisoner places, the establishment now holds 1,364 remand and sentenced adult males and remanded young adults (18-21 year olds). The majority of the prisoners are from Wigan, Leigh, Bolton and Bury.
Accommodation
Wings A-F are the original prison; G and H are the new buildings added in 2009. The wings hold the following:
- A1 Young adults
- A2, B1, B2, C1 General
- C2, D1, D2 Vulnerable prisoners
- E1 First night and induction
- E2, F1, F2 General
- G1 Recovery wing
- G2 Resettlement
- H1 First night ISMS
- H2 ISMS motivational unit
- Health care inpatients (19 bed)
