Willmott Dixon has signed a multi-million-pound main contract to build a new 28-bed secure children’s home in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, that will provide much-improved facilities for young people.

Procured via Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, the company was originally selected last year by Lincolnshire County Council to complete design proposals for the home, located in Bonemill Lane on the outskirts of Sleaford. The project, which is being funded by the Department for Education, will provide care for some of Lincolnshire’s most vulnerable children as well as being a national resource for secure accommodation.

It replaces an existing smaller site that is coming to the end of its useful life and will help meet rising demand from a national increase in the number of children requiring both criminal justice and welfare placements. It will deliver a truly ground-breaking service, becoming a flagship project for the sector.

The home is designed to reach net-zero in operation, providing an innovative partial grid solution, which will be supported by extensive solar panels and state-of-the-art power storage.

Cllr Mrs Patricia Bradwell OBE, executive member for children’s services, said:

“The new home will help address the national shortage of spaces in secure homes, helping keep children from the county and surrounding region closer to their support networks. Its design is centred around the young person’s journey while in a secure placement, offering wrap-around professional support and educational opportunities. It will also employ more staff with specialist training and a diverse skillset to support the children’s increasingly complex needs.

“Overall, it will provide a much better environment for the young people living there, and also new job opportunities for the area, helping the local economy. I look forward to seeing the work progress.”

The home has been designed by Kier and is due to be completed in late 2026.

Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, said:

“This is a hugely significant scheme, not only for Lincolnshire to address an acute need for secure accommodation, but also for the wider country as it will bring together best practice from across the UK and Europe.

“It will help young people get their lives ‘back on track’ using a whole host of facilities including on-site education, wellbeing, vocational and sports facilities, as well as delivering against important sustainability credentials to make the building’s legacy especially evident.”