Construction on the precinct will start in 2009 and will include two new prisons - a womens and a mens - a mental health facility, as well as the existing Mobilong prison.

It was revealed at the information night that the new mens prison will have 760 beds with the ability to expand to more than 900.

The new womens prison will have 150 beds, which could increase to nearly 400 beds if needed.

The mental health facility is much smaller, with just 40 beds, however that number could increase to about 60.

Department for Correctional Services corporate communications manager Christian Thompson said the possibility was high that the precinct would expand further in the future.

“Recently (the) cabinet approved an expansion capacity that the Department for Correctional Services believe is the limit,” he said.

“However one cannot predict what a future government might decide.”

Employing more than 550 staff, the three prisons and the mental health facility will have the capacity to hold up to 1240 inmates.

This will include an additional 430 new staff, many of which would relocate to Murray Bridge.

A predicted 600 more people could move to the region, the majority of which would be prison staff and their families.

Murray Bridge will need to undertake major infrastructure upgrades including water supply, sewerage, power, road networks, legal services and emergency services and facilities to cope with the extra activity the precinct will bring.

The town’s housing market is also expected to benefit from the precinct, with the influx of population expected to help prices soar.