THE first slab was poured for the Clarence Correctional Centre today, and while on site, The Daily Examiner was able to take to the skies to capture the enormous building site from the air.

The new jail, which is expected to be finished in 2020, is housed on a 195 hectare site at Lavadia.

The slab pouring represents the beginning of stage two of the build, and already through the first stage around 300,000 cubic metres of earth has been moved on site so far.

The average workforce on site so far is around 230 people, which is expected to ramp up significantly as the build progresses.

Aside from pouring concrete slabs, the cells will be made on site using a 'pre-cast concrete yard' where the concrete is poured into a mould, left to cure and then lifted into place using a crane.

According to the concept plans, the site once finished will contain:

• Maximum built height of 12 metres
• Approx. gross floor area of 100,000 square metres
• Store building, small ancillary facilities and a central energy plant located outside the perimeter walls/fence
• Access to/from the centre via Avenue Road
• Car parking for approximately 500 cars
• Other associated facilities including recreational oval, special accommodation units, health facilities, education and programs areas, administration, workshops, staff amenities, visitor facilities and utilities.
• A 100‐metre wide Asset Protection Zone for bushfire protection
• A vegetation buffer (between 15 - 50m wide depending on location)
• Fire access roads on the inside and outside of the perimeter fence
• Water, power, wastewater and communication utilities within the site.

Take a look around the site as it begins to take shape in our video here.