ONE OF Reading’s biggest landmarks has been confirmed as sold by the Ministry of Justice today, January 11.
The former site of Reading Prison was sold to The Ziran Education Foundation after extensive bidding and vetting processes.
The Ziran Education Foundation is now set to begin engaging with Reading Borough Council on using the site, as plans will need to be approved.
However, the buyer has expressed the intention to create an educational centre for the town’s communities, including a museum outlining the history of the site.
Proposals also include an exhibition space which will be accessible to the public.
Proceeds from the sale will be used by the Ministry of Justice to reinvest in the prisons estate to reduce reoffending and protect the public.
Around £105m has been raised by the MoJ in the last decade through the sale of disused prison sites.
It follows years of calls for Reading Gaol to be put to community use, particularly by the Save Reading Gaol organisation, which was joined by politicians and councillors from across the town in calling for the space to be used for arts purposes.
The Ziran Education Foundation is a charitable non-profit organisation working with colleges to develop school curricula and educational services.
It promotes “a compassionate, peaceful, and suitable world through education,” and provides teacher training programs, workshops, and partnerships with other organisations and schools designed to foster emotional, social, and ethical intelligence in staff and students.
