Planning permission was granted for architect Purcell’s proposals to develop Shepton Mallet Prison in Somerset for City & Country. The historic prison will be restored and converted into high quality homes.
Prior to its closure in 2013, HMP Shepton Mallet was the oldest working prison in Britain with a colourful list of infamous inmates including the Kray twins. The Grade II and II* listed buildings, including the cell blocks, treadwheel house and workshops, will be refurbished and converted into 96 apartments. Within the prison walls, new apartments located on the site will comprise a new 23 unit residential block and 27 apartments within terraced ‘mews’ style housing.
The former visitor’s centre and part of B-Wing will be transformed into a heritage space and a community café. The site will also provide parking and high quality landscaping. Within the historic cell blocks the quality of the top-lit atrium spaces will be retained and the historic features refurbished, with new apartments created through linking the former cells together. An opening will be created in the prison walls to allow improved pedestrian access into the historic site.
Purcell is the architect and lead consultant. The site is owned and being developed by City & Country. The project team comprises landscape designers OPEN, planning consultants JLL, multi-disciplinary engineers Hydrock, transport consultants Calidus and structural engineers The Morton Partnership.
Consent was secured from Mendip District Council to develop the site on 18 January 2017. The project will commence on site later this year.
