PRISONS Minister Damian Hinds has confirmed that the sale of Reading Gaol to an unknown developer is expected to be completed “later this autumn.”
It comes after Reading East MP requested an update on the sale of the Grade II listed building, which has been the subject of a campaign to be ear-marked for community use, in the House of Commons on Tuesday, September 12.
Mr Rodda then asked if the sale of the site would be reconsidered, but the Prisons Minister said he would “in contact” with Mr Rodda despite the continuation of the sale.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Hinds said: “The sale of Reading Prison is proceeding and, barring any unexpected complications, completion is expected later this autumn.”
In response, Mr Rodda said: “Reading Gaol is a hugely important historic building, and now nearly 13,000 people across Berkshire have signed a petition asking the government to work with me and with the local arts community to turn the gaol into the arts hub.
“Will he now reconsider the government’s approach– it has taken them a long time to discuss the proposed sale with their preferred bidder, and no progress, or slow progress, appears to have been made.
“Will he now reconsider, and will he work with me, with Reading Borough Council, and the local arts community, to save this wonderful building?”
Mr Hinds responded: “Mr Speaker the sale is progressing, and any proposed development, of course, would be subject to approval from Reading Borough Council planning department.
“And, of course, the usual due diligence and so on will apply.”
He went on to add: “We often throw around the term ‘doughty campaigner’ in this chamber.
“But I can certainly say that in respect of the Honourable Gentleman [Mr Rodda] and my Right Honourable Friend, his neighbour, the member for Reading West [Sir Alok Sharma], they have indeed been incredibly assiduous in their attention to this matter on behalf of their constituents.
“And, in turn, I absolutely commit to him that we will stay in touch.”
Reading Gaol’s closure was announced a decade ago in September 2013, and formally closed four months later in January 2014.
In 2016 an exhibition took place in the building, which saw visual art and performances in the space, which garnered around 45,000 visitors over three months.
The site was put up for sale in October 2019, and Reading Borough Council entered a bid in April of the next year, though this was swiftly rejected.
The Ministry of Justice announced that Artisan Real Estate (ARE) had been named as the preferred bidder the same month.
Reading Borough Council was offered the chance to make a second bid after ARE pulled out, which they made in March 2021, shortly after a mural by internationally-acclaimed street artist Banksy appeared on the site.
The council bid was rejected the following month, although a preferred bidder was not named.
After Banksy made a bid for the site, offering £10 million, but another bidder, which is still unnamed by the Ministry of Justice, was maintained.
Both Matt Rodda and Alok Sharma have had multiple meetings with previous Prisons Minister Victoria Atkins, and incumbent Damian Hinds.
The site is the subject of the Save Reading Gaol campaign, which saw support from the Oscar Wilde Society, Stephen Fry, Kate Winslet, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Natalie Dormer, and Shazad Latif.
