Fears over radon gas
Dartmoor Prison could stay closed for another three years.
Inmates were transferred out of the Napoleonic-era jail in stages beginning about 15 months ago, because of health fears around radon gas, a naturally occurring radioactive substance which is common in Devon and Cornwall, but which can be dangerous over prolonged periods.
Many Dartmoor prisoners were serving long-term sentences.
By the spring of 2024 all 650 were moved out.
Local business leaders are worried about the effect on jobs and claim the local economy has lost millions of pounds.
The Prison Officers' Association (POA) locally says it has been told Dartmoor Prison could be mothballed for three years.
The Prison Service said it is taking advice from specialists to explore how HMP Dartmoor could be "reopened as quickly as possible".
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