The majority of the landmark Gloucester Gaol site has been put up for sale.

It means the key city centre site may finally be released for redevelopment after years of sitting silent.

Owners City & Country are looking for a buyer for the portion of the former prison earmarked for 149 new build homes.

The news has been welcomed by Gloucester's MP who hopes it means the unused site in Barrack Square will finally "be brought back to life".

It has been 10 years since the prison, which housed around 320 inmates, was decommissioned. 

City & Country bought the site in 2014 and in 2018 was granted planning permission by Gloucester City Council to redevelop it.

The approved scheme includes converting the Grade II* and Grade II-listed former prison buildings into 38 homes and seven new buildings up to six storeys high containing 164 homes. The development will also contain 481sqm of commercial and community space, car parking, cycle parking and gardens for both private and communal use.

Detailed and painstaking archaological work then had to take place to uncover and record the remains of the medieval Gloucester Castle which the prison was built on top of.

City & County carried out some initial demolition  and groundwork in 2021 but since then the project has fallen silent.

The developer is now selling off the freehold of most of the new build portion for an undisclosed sum. It has detailed planning permission for 149 open market units.

The Stanstead-headquartered company specialises in restoring and converting heritage sites. It plans to retain the listed former prison buildings for the conversion portion of the scheme as well as two small new build blocks.

The sales listing said the site is near the residential-led Quayside and Blackfriars redevelopment areas and that it is " well positioned in an area undergoing significant regeneration."

Gloucester MP Richard Graham said: "It's good news that City & Country have made a decision on the way forward for the old prison and we wait to see whether the interest in developing the planning permission for housing is strong.

"On the other hand we wait to see City & Country's plans for development of the listed portions of the old prison.

"This project has been delayed for many reasons, including of course the excavation and archaeological dig of the old Gloucester Castle.

"Hopefully now things will start to move and this great unused site in Blackfriars will be brought back to life soon."

Gloucester Prison opened as a county gaol in 1792 and was extensively rebuilt in the 1840s and operated as a prison until 2013.

The gaol was built on the site of Gloucester's Norman castle which was demolished to allow for the 18th century construction.

In April 2019 permission was granted to change the prison building to leisure use and it is currently occupied by Salvation Z which runs Halloween events.

City & County carried out initial minor demolition work  to one of the unlisted buildings in 2021 to "keep the existing planning permission alive" and was granted permission for the installation of an electricity substation.

Since then it has discharged numerous conditions to do with the masterplan but has yet to start wide scale building work on site.

Cllr Richard Cook, leader of Gloucester City Council, said: "This project isn't moving anywhere right now and hasn't for a number of years despite suggestions.

"The last we heard several months ago was that they were going to resubmit planning but I don't think that's taken place yet.

"It's an area of the city we would like to see something happen to but I think it's a bit stalled.

"It's another connection between the docks and the city centre and an area of the city that is currently under-utilised.

"Some of the plans that have been suggested in the past to develop it have been absolutely wonderful but I understand in areas like that there are always going to be viability challenges.

"Anyone who looks at buying it will have to think seriously about what they can do with it."

Punchline has contacted City & Country for a comment.