Graham Construction has been appointed to design and build new laboratories and offices for Forensic Science Northern Ireland (FSNI) at the agency’s Seapark headquarters outside Carrickfergus. Justice Minister Naomi Long announced the award during a site visit, describing the upgrade as vital to “better forensic outcomes” across the criminal justice system.
The investment, known as “Project Atlas”, matters because FSNI evidence underpins thousands of criminal prosecutions each year. Modern laboratories should speed up sample processing, improve scientific accuracy and help reduce Northern Ireland’s long-standing forensic backlog—an issue highlighted by the Criminal Justice Inspection NI as recently as December 2023.
Contractor appointment and provisional timetable
- Lead contractor: John Graham Construction Ltd, better known as Graham.
- Design phase: six months starting immediately.
- Ground-breaking: “end of the financial year” (around March 2026) subject to design approval.
- Scope: purpose-built laboratories, office space and landscaped outdoor areas for staff wellbeing.
Alison McElveen, FSNI Acting Chief Executive, called the contract award a “key milestone”, adding that modern facilities will “enable the continued delivery of a valued service for the criminal justice system”. Graham’s Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Hall promised a state-of-the-art building that “connects with nature”.
What the project hopes to deliver
FSNI moved to Seapark on a temporary basis in 1992 and opened the Locard Building on the site in 2015. Project Atlas is billed as the final step in replacing outdated accommodation, bringing all 230+ staff into fit-for-purpose labs that meet contemporary accreditation standards such as ISO 17025.
Officials argue that upgraded infrastructure will:
- Boost capacity for DNA, toxicology, digital forensics and firearms analysis.
- Allow more collaborative working with the PSNI, Public Prosecution Service and universities.
- Provide energy-efficient systems that reduce running costs and carbon emissions.
- Improve staff retention by offering modern, flexible workspaces.
Information still missing
The announcement leaves several practical details unexplained:
- No budget figure. Earlier business-case papers, released under FOI in 2022, suggested an envelope of £45 million, but the Department of Justice (DoJ) has not confirmed today’s out-turn cost.
- Funding source. It remains unclear whether the project will be financed entirely from the DoJ capital budget or require additional Treasury support.
- Operational impact during construction. FSNI will continue to use existing buildings on the same campus; the plan to minimise disruption to live casework has not been set out.
- Delivery targets. Aside from an indicative ground-breaking date, there is no public completion date or performance metrics (e.g., reduced turnaround times) attached to the build.
Broader context and unaddressed challenges
Northern Ireland’s forensic service faces systemic pressures, including:
- Case backlogs. Average DNA turnaround times reached 92 days in 2023 (CJINI, 2023)—double the recommended 45-day benchmark.
- Digital evidence overload. The exponential growth of mobile-phone data and CCTV footage is straining laboratory and analyst capacity nationwide, but today’s announcement does not reference dedicated digital-forensics suites.
- Staff recruitment. FSNI has reported vacancy rates of up to 12 % in specialist disciplines such as toxicology; the new building alone will not resolve workforce shortages without parallel pay and training measures.
It would also be helpful to know how Project Atlas aligns with parallel UK initiatives, such as the Forensic Capability Network, or with the NI Executive’s net-zero commitments.
Questions for policymakers and stakeholders
- What measurable improvements—turnaround times, case backlogs, accreditation scores—are expected once the new facility is operational?
- How will the Department of Justice fund potential cost overruns in the current constrained public-spending environment?
- What contingency plans are in place to avoid delays to ongoing criminal investigations during construction?
- Does the design include dedicated digital-forensics and cybercrime laboratories, given rising evidence volumes?
- How will FSNI ensure that modern labs are matched by sufficient specialist staff recruitment and retention?
What happens next
The detailed design phase will run through spring 2026, after which construction is slated to begin. Planning approvals, final budget sign-off and procurement of specialist laboratory equipment are the next critical milestones. Interested readers—particularly legal professionals awaiting faster forensic reporting—may wish to track future DoJ statements on funding allocations and performance targets.
If delivered on time and within budget, Project Atlas could modernise Northern Ireland’s forensic infrastructure for the next generation. Yet buildings alone cannot solve case backlogs or skills shortages; the true test will be whether investment in bricks and mortar translates into quicker, more reliable justice outcomes.