A planning application for the redevelopment of the landmark Gloucester Gaol site is imminent according to the city's MP.

Richard Graham said owners City & Country are just days away from handing their proposals into the council.

The Tory politician met with the company after Puchline broke the news the developer had put the majority of the site up for sale. 

"City & Country will submit a planning application very soon to develop the 'modern' parts of the old prison on the north side beside the river into new housing," said Mr Graham in a Facebook post.

"The plans I was shown looked sensible and drew on photos of some housing earlier in the curtilage of the prison.

"They also recognise the danger of the old Governor's house on the west side suffering from deterioration and the stand alone opportunity of the old Gatehouse on the Shire Hall side.

"So I anticipate plans there coming forward soon too.

"Which leaves the listed original 1760s wing and former chapel, which they'll tackle in due course."

However, it does not appear City & Country will carry out the development of the modern section itself. It is selling off the freehold which has planning permission for 149 homes, for an undisclosed sum.

The Stanstead-headquartered company specialises in restoring and converting heritage sites and plans to use its expertise to convert the listed prison buildings. It will retain ownership of them and two small new build blocks.

It purchased the entire Gaol site in 2014, a year after it was decommissioned 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.

City & County carried out initial minor demolition work to one of the unlisted buildings in 2021 but has yet to start wide scale building work on site.

Mr Graham said the site is an important piece of the wider Blackfriars regeneration puzzle but has remained an "unfulfilled opportunity" due to the archaeological work required and constraints on what could be created there.

Gloucester Gaol was built on the site of a Norman castle which was demolished to make way for the prison which opened in 1792 and was extensively rebuilt in the 1840s.

Painstaking work was needed to unearth the remains of the castle and preserve any heritage items found. However, it looks as if the site will finally be given a new ife.

"The developer can see the environment around the ex prison has changed hugely since they bought the site," said Mr Graham. "So I got a very encouraging answer.

"The owner has a strong track record of restoring and adapting old and often listed buildings well - and this is what I always hoped would happen here.

"It's taken a long time, but I think the process is now well under way and the commitment for action is there."