Andorra Abandons Prison Expansion, Buys Land for New Mental Health Facility

The Andorran government has abandoned plans to expand La Comella prison by acquiring an adjacent building after an assessment deemed the project unviable due to high adaptation and renovation costs stemming from the structure's age.

Instead, the executive has advanced toward purchasing a nearby plot of land—1,600 square metres directly facing the current facility, opposite some cell windows—for €260,000. A purchase agreement has already been signed with the owner, formerly the site of Arch Led's headquarters, and the deal is expected to be formalised before summer. The land will be divided, with the government acquiring this portion to build a new facility from scratch.

The new building will primarily house mental health services and reintegration spaces for inmates, addressing long-standing demands from prison staff and unions for more room at the centre. Officials note this as a historic claim, though some express caution, pointing out that only one inmate currently requires mental health security measures, raising questions about the need for a full dedicated module.

Prison unions and department staff, including those linked to the SIP, remain cautious and await official details from the Justice Ministry. "Nobody has informed us, and what we know comes from the media," sources close to the union said. While welcoming the move—"it's about time they listened"—they emphasise the need for additional resources, including more personnel, and question whether current demands align with past ones given the project's early stage.

The initiative follows the recent shelving of the original building option, which required extensive works to repurpose it. No timeline for construction has been announced, and viability concerns persist among consulted officials.