Nornaside’s official closure has led to calls for a concerted effort to find a new use for the jail.
The Angus establishment is now part of Scottish Prison Service history after the decision to axe the jail on the grounds of it being surplus to requirements took effect.
Prisoners have been transferred to Castle Huntly, on the outskirts of Dundee, which is now the sole facility in the Scottish open estate.
SPS chiefs have confirmed that the venue north of Forfar will be looked after on a care and maintenance basis while its future is determined, and as figures urged the government not to allow the properties to slip into decline suggestions are already coming forward over the type of future use which could be valuable to the county.
In accordance with normal regulations, all government properties must be offered to other departments for potential use, but it is understood the SPS is not holding out hope that there will be a clamour of interest on that front. The likely scenario is that the jail and its extensive policies will be put on the market.
Noranside has a large amount of productive farmland, much of it already leased, and that would be likely to sell well if it came up for open sale. The big question mark is over the Noranside main building and the many extended areas of prisoner accommodation.
Angus Alliance councillor Alison Andrews hopes one glaring option might be considered.
”The absolute ideal would be a hotel. Angus is desperate for hotel accommodation, but whether any private company would be willing to take it on is the big question,” she said.
”The main building would probably not need a huge amount of work and it doesn’t look like a prison because it wasn’t built as one. With a bit of imagination, and probably a very large amount of money, I think it could be done.
”But the last thing we want to see is for it to lie unused for a long time I wouldn’t wish that on any large building.”
Despite the shortage of hotel beds in the district, Angus has seen several hotels close down in recent years. Among them, Forfar’s historic town centre Royal Hotel remains empty having closed in June 2010 and despite rumours of pub chain interest no firm buyer has materialised.
The SPS faced a similar situation in the west coast when it closed Penninghame open jail in 2000. The historic house now successfully operates as a wellbeing centre.
Kirriemuir landward east community council chairman Ivan Laird added: ”Noranside has had substantial investment and I hope that a positive use can be found for it rather than it lying empty too long,” added Mr Laird.
Mrs Andrews is also concerned the Angus closure might impact on the successful visiting committee set-up which previously covered both Noranside and Castle Huntly.
”I took on the visiting committee role because Noranside is close to me and I have found it a very interesting and rewarding experience,” said the Kirriemuir and Dean member.
”There are question marks over what will happen with the currently combined visiting committee for Castle Huntly and Noranside. At the moment there is a maximum of 15 members five from each of the three council areas which were covered by the two prisons.
”The SPS are saying that the full number is too many for one site but we are urging them that in the case of the open estate they need more visiting committee input.
”Committee members have built up expertise over many years and if there were changes they could be throwing that away, which would strike me as incredibly wasteful.”