Responding to a parliamentary question on whether the Ministry of Justice has taken steps to ensure Holloway prison will not be landbanked, Sam Gyimah, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice), responded that his department are currently reviewing bids and an announcement is expected in Spring 2018.

Gyimah said;

“As part of the evaluation, the Ministry of Justice will assess the feasibility of redevelopment schemes proposed by bidders.

This will include whether they comply with the London Borough of Islington’s (LBI) affordable housing and other planning requirements and whether the purchaser has sufficient funds to undertake the development.

The MoJ will also consider the proposed timetable for development and the track record of the developers in undertaking developments on time.”

Gyimah would not disclose how many bids had been received as it was ‘commercially sensitive’.