§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current plans for the former young prisoners' establishment at Lowdham Grange; what planning applications have been made; and what timetable he has in mind for disposal of this property.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Paddy Tipping, dated 17 May 1993:
68WHMYOI Lowdham Grange
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the Prison Service's plans for the site of the former young offender institution at Lowdham Grange.As you no doubt know, the establishment is no longer used for prison purposes and we have no plans to again use it as such. The Closure Order giving effect to this decision was laid before the House on 24 November 1992 and came into force on 1 January 1993.We have, however, appointed an agent to manage the sale of the site and have submitted an application to the local planning authority for several possible uses of it once sold. These include further residential development; a golf course; a gardening centre; provision for caravans; a public house; a rest home; rural crafts; an equestrian centre; shopping; a leisure complex or private school/offices; a village green; public open spaces; a health centre and a sports hall. Highways and environmental impact studies are now to be carried out at the request of the Newark and Sherwood District Council.There have been several meetings with the District and Parish councils to consider the application and once the outcome of this is known the property will be put on the market. I am afraid it is too soon to say when this will be.