Reading won’t stop fighting to save Gaol despite MoJ efforts to sell it

However it has vowed to keep its bid alive as a future option.

Reading Borough Council (RBC) said it understands the MoJ is likely to once again market the site for sale.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson has since said: "Following discussions with the Council, the prison will be put back on the property market.

"Any sale will seek the best value for taxpayers and be reinvested into the justice system, while ensuring planning requirements for the historic site are met.”

The council had put forward a £2.6 million bid - backed by a passionate arts and cultural community in Reading and beyond.

Rather than withdrawing its bid at this time, the council is instead making a public commitment to keep it on the table in the hope that MoJ Ministers will intervene and re-consider the advice of its marketing agents.

READ ALSO: The Caversham roads with sheds and garages targeted by thieves

The council said it remains fully committed to working with the MoJ, but believes the huge historical and cultural value of Reading Gaol in any potential future development is still not fully recognised by the MoJ or its advisers.

Today (May 18) the council is publishing details of its bid online to show what is possible to achieve with the site.

The Reading Goal Vision - drawn up following consultation with the arts and cultural community in Reading - shows the historic Reading Gaol as the centrepiece of a unique mixed use development incorporating: a new heritage centre celebrating its history and archaeology; space for theatre, dance, music, cinema and outdoor exhibitions; high quality and flexible public realm; a creative innovation hub hosting affordable workspaces, events, workshops and exhibitions led by resident cultural organisations; and a rooftop café.

Council's bid for Reading Gaol

The proposed development would be underpinned by a new residential quarter offering energy efficient homes, including new affordable homes.

Councillor Jason Brock, Reading Borough Council Leader, said: “The Council and the community are very clear that the sale of Reading Gaol is about so much more than monetary value, which is what makes this decision by the MoJ especially disappointing.

“This bid may have had the Council’s name on it, but it was submitted for the Reading community who have demonstrated huge enthusiasm and passion to transform Reading Gaol into something truly special.

"Our job was to harness the strength of that local community support and create a unique beacon, not just for Reading, but as a site of national significance."

He added: “We are publishing the details of Reading’s bid today so that people can see for themselves what it is possible to achieve.

"We are not dismissive of the fact this is the MoJ’s asset and it will want to generate the highest possible receipt, but there is so much more at stake here. We are extremely disappointed the heritage and cultural value of the Council’s bid does not appear to have been given due consideration.

“This is now the second time the Council’s bid has been dismissed by the MoJ.

READ ALSO: Reading coronavirus: Here's where residents are visiting as lockdown eases

"It would be very easy at this point to walk away from the process, but we do not intend to do that.

"We understand the MoJ may be willing to keep the Council’s bid on the table while it pursues other options.

"We would welcome that and are happy for it to remain there for the time being.

"The Council also remains committed to working with the MoJ to ensure the significant historical and cultural value of Reading’s Gaol is given its rightful prominence.

“We are urging the Secretary of State to meet with us as soon as possible before any new decisions are taken by the MoJ to re-market the Gaol."

Reading Gaol has been empty and unused since December 2013 when it was shut by the MoJ.

Following the news last year that the MoJ’s sale of the Reading Prison site had fallen through after it went to the market, the council was granted a period of exclusivity by the MoJ to develop its own bid for the site.

That bid was submitted on March 15 and followed a summit and workshops attended by influential representatives from local arts, culture, heritage, business and LGBTQ+ communities, and key politicians

The Grade II Listed Prison sits in its entirety on the former footprint of the Reading Abbey complex, a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

It means that any future proposals will need to pay very careful consideration to the local and national planning policies set out by the council in its Prison Framework and in its recently adopted Local Plan.

The MoJ said it will engage with prospective buyers to ensure the prison’s unique value is retained as much as possible.

It added any buyer will have to comply with the council’s planning requirements.