INVERCLYDE’S new £75 million female-only prison will be a 21st century ‘beacon’ of hope for troubled women eager to turn their lives around, the project’s leader declared today.

Kate Donegan — speaking exclusively to the Telegraph as we show for the first time how the jail will look — promised ‘a rich range of opportunities’ to steer inmates away from crime.

The former governor of Scotland’s outgoing female prison, Cornton Vale, said: “For the first time in my career I feel that everyone is on the same page with regard to what needs to be done for women.” Mrs Donegan OBE, pictured above right, told today how strong links will be forged between HMP Inverclyde and the local community in a bid to provide a mini jobs boom for the district — and future employment for inmates.

She said: “This is a phenomenal opportunity for the Scottish Prison Service to have a facility which will be a beacon for other jurisdictions.” Construction work on the state-of-the-art jail — which will be have a capacity for 300 prisoners — will get underway on 1 September next year with an opening date set for June 2017.

The multi-purpose and education-focused Scottish Prison Service facility will have three main accommodation blocks — one being two-storey with an open gallery and two with three-storeys, open galleries on two levels and the top floor enclosed.

A separate unit will house the reception, a health care centre, workshops, an education wing including library, a gym, a multi-faith centre and a recycling plant.

And a garden area — complete with poly-tunnels — will be used to grow the jail’s own fruit and vegetable produce with inmate involvement.

Mrs Donegan said: “The prison has been designed to respond the the needs of women. It is based on our own experience and on research around the world, having built up a knowledge of what works for women offenders, which has informed what we will do.

“There will be a rich range of opportunities aimed at driving women away from crime and anti-social behaviour.

“The design ensures maximum flexibility within the accommodation for those on remand, young offenders and convicted women.” Mrs Donegan told how there would be ‘strong links’ between the work carried out by prisoners and educational attainment.

She said: “Every activity will provide an opportunity to gain a certification or qualification at recognised SVQ, HND and HNC levels.

“For less academically able women there will be other opportunities to gain levels of certification which are recognised.

“Women serving longer sentences will be able to develop their own achievement portfolio.” Mrs Donegan added that specific ‘trauma informed’ strategies have been developed to help women.

She said: “The majority of women who are sent to prison have had some form of trauma in their lives — either through neglect, or physical, sexual or emotional abuse.

“Mental illness is also a feature, so our approach will be geared to deal with that and help these women.

“The approach will also be one that is strength and asset based — in that we will look to see what the women do have that is going for them and nurture these things.

“The emphasis will be on developing what people have in a positive way.

“It’s all about preventing the next victim.” The Telegraph told in October how detailed plans for the prison had been lodged with Inverclyde Council.

Once operational on a 22-acre site off Inverkip Road, the new HMP Inverclyde will turn Greenock into a two-jail town along with the existing 104-year-old Gateside Prison on Old Inverkip Road.

The new prison will take in female prisoners nationally as well as regionally.

Mrs Donegan said: “A great deal of design work was done in consultation with all of our key partners and stakeholders, including the local authority.

“We are very keen to develop strong links with the community in both directions.

“We want to develop links with local employers so that there can be opportunities for jobs for women on their release.

“There will also be employment opportunities for the community in a range of roles from prison officers to administration and finance staff, and more.

“We will come out next year and do recruitment fairs within Inverclyde.” A public event to further highlight the plans for the prison, with Scottish Prison Service staff on hand to answer questions, will be held at Inverclyde Academy tomorrow evening between 6.30pm and 8pm.