Plans revealed for Reading Gaol
THE new owners of Reading Gaol have spoken after being named as the purchasers of the site for a multi-million pound sum.
The site has been vacant for more than a decade with the last inmates leaving in November 2013.
The Ministry of Justice sold the site for £7 million to the Ziran Education Foundation, which has announced its intentions.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked The Ziran Education Foundation for a statement explaining what it does and what its aims for the Prison were. A response was only received a month following the news of the sale.
A spokesperson for the foundation said they were thrilled to share their vision, to be based on three priorities.
The spokesperson said: “First, in partnership with a distinguished design firm, we’re exploring innovative solutions, including the integration of AI technology.
“Our aspiration is to create robots tailored to our unique requirements, complementing human efforts in parts of the premises.
“We envision a distinctive art museum, museum, and an art-inspired hotel.
“Second, collaboration with the University of Reading holds immense significance for us.
“We’re eager to delve into detailed discussions and mutually beneficial initiatives.
“Third, we hold immense respect for Reading Borough Council and plan to engage them in dialogue.
“Our foremost aim is to contribute positively to Reading’s cultural landscape and bolster tourism efforts.”
The spokesperson said they were ‘deeply grateful’ for the interest in the project.
The Foundation has yet to approach the council’s planning department, according to a council spokesperson.
Reading Today exclusively broke the news the Ministry of Justice had sold the site on January 11.
A ministry spokesperson said proceeds from the sale will be reinvested in the wider prison estate ‘to help reduce reoffending and protect the public’.
The cost of leaving the prison closed for over a decade is estimated at between £2.5million and £3 million according to an ITV report, but no exact figure has been given by the Ministry.
It is understood that the foundation will hold public consultations before and after an official planning application is submitted.
There have been some concerns about the foundation as its activities in the UK appear to be limited.
It was launched by Chinese businessman Channing Bi with an aim of ‘promoting a compassionate, peaceful, and sustainable world through education’, and has offices in a Business Park in Colchester.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said security checks were made on the foundation by several government departments and organisations, as part of due diligence.
The sale was met with a mixed reaction from residents, who have had hoped the site would be turned into an arts and performance space, following an ArtAngel project in 2016 which opened the prison up for the first time.
The Save Reading Gaol campaign was set up in 2019 for this purpose, which held annual ‘Gaol hugs’ and marches.
Grafitti artist Banksy gave impetus for the campaign when he stencilled in an image of an inmate escaping using a typewriter to its boundary wall, reflecting poet Oscar Wilde’s incarceration in the prison from 1895 to 1897.