HMP Peterborough was built on the site of the former Baker Perkins engineering works. It opened in 2005, despite protests from local residents. The Prison Service stated that Peterborough, as a 'mixed-use' prison, would become a blueprint for future prisons.^[1] The prison was involved in controversy when it advertised for two holistic therapists to offer inmates reflexology, aromatherapy and Indian head massages. The MP for Peterborough, Stewart Jackson accused the prison of pampering inmates and sending out the wrong message to hard-working families.^[2]

In January 2008, a national table of prisons compiled by the Prison Service revealed that the prison had performed worst out of 132 prisons and prison clusters, with low marks for reducing re-offending, organisational effectiveness and decency.^[3] A month later, women prisoners complained that the food served at the jail was too high in calories, and made them put on weight. Officials at the prison claimed that healthy options were always available.^[4]

In January 2013, the Ministry of Justice announced that an additional houseblock will be constructed at the prison, increasing its capacity.^[5]

On 13 April 2018, a Royal Air Force bomb disposal team deployed a bomb disposal robot to interact with a silver Volkswagen Golf at the prison.^[6] Authorities later stated they had been responding to a reported bomb but it proved to be a hoax.^[7]

• Rekha Kumari-Baker,^[8] woman who stabbed to death her own two children in 2007
• Lucy Letby,^[9] neonatal nurse who murdered numerous babies that were in her care
• Chelsea O'Mahoney,^[10] part of a group of youths convicted of the "happy slapping" homophobic killing of David Morley in 2005
• Emma Tustin,^[11][12] woman convicted of torturing and murdering her step-son in June 2020. Sentenced in 2021.

• Ministry of Justice pages on Peterborough
• Sodexo Justice Services page on Peterborough

52°35′11″N 0°15′36″W / 52.58639°N 0.26000°W / 52.58639; -0.26000