Before us stands HMP Low Moss a seemingly ordinary building. Yet its walls hold stories. They whisper of a past life as RAF Bishopbriggs.
HMP Low Moss wasn’t always a prison. In 1939 it became a Royal Air Force base. No 18 Balloon Squadron and No 15 Maintenance Unit were stationed here. It served as a transit camp for RAF units. After World War II it even housed a Royal Military Police training school.
The site’s history is fascinating. In the 1960s the Officers’ Mess became home to the 388 Signals Unit. They used radar to score simulated bombing missions over Glasgow. USAF and RAF bombers including B-66 Destroyers and B-58 Hustlers used the area.
Low Moss first became a prison in 1968. It was initially a temporary low-security facility. The original buildings were simple. They used wooden single-storey construction and Nissen huts. It housed around 300 prisoners.
The prison’s history has seen its share of challenges. Planning permission limited the types of prisoners and sentence lengths. Several extensions were granted. The prison faced closure several times. It faced the possibility of closure in 1974. Further extensions were approved in 1982 1989 and 2003.
In 2007 the old prison closed. A redevelopment project began. The new HMP Low Moss opened in 2012. It was a massive undertaking. The new prison is three times the size of the original. It has a capacity of 784 prisoners. It can hold inmates serving short and long sentences.
The redevelopment wasn’t without controversy. A project to add 100 spaces led to overcrowding. Cells designed for one prisoner now house two. This caused significant concerns about living conditions.
Today HMP Low Moss continues to operate. It serves as a vital part of Scotland’s justice system. It houses prisoners from the North Strathclyde area. The prison aims to provide purposeful activity. It offers education vocational training and work opportunities. The prison hopes to help prisoners transition back into society.
So as you stand here contemplate the layers of history embedded in HMP Low Moss. From its wartime beginnings to its present-day role. Remember the individuals whose lives have been shaped within these walls.