Old Gaol redevelopment enters final stretch (From Oxford Mail)

Old Gaol redevelopment enters final stretch

1:00pm Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Abingdon By Ben Wilkinson

An artist’s impression of the Old Gaol development

THE MULTI-MILLION-POUND redevelopment of Abingdon’s historic Old Gaol will be finished by the end of next year.

Savills, which is marketing the site, yesterday said the completed project would mark a new era for the town.

Karen Mole, Savills’ director and head of new homes, said with the Old Gaol and the revamp of Abbey Shopping Centre due to finish this year, Abingdon was becoming a more attractive place to live.

She said: “It’s going to give a new dimension to the town and it will be far more attractive to people.”

She said the riverside scheme would lift values elsewhere, adding: “This will be the best extension Abingdon has seen for some time.”

The development of the Grade II-listed landmark site began in 2010, to create 61 homes, restaurants and an underground car park.

Cranbourne Homes is developing the former leisure centre after buying it from Vale of White Horse District Council for £2m. The deal involves Cranbourne paying the council an estimated further £2m once the homes are sold.

Eight apartments have been sold so far by Savills and Thomas Merrifield.

Phase one, which includes 43 flats, is due to be finished by the end of the year. The Old Gaol building will be converted into flats, a gym and four restaurants next year.

Abingdon Chamber of Commerce president Paul Townsend said work would finish alongside the £50m Charter area redevelopment.

He added: “It has sat empty a while and been an eyesore. But it’s coming with the development and will be part of Abingdon rebranding itself.”

Matthew Barber, Vale of White Horse District Council leader, said: “It’s a development I remember being promised by the Lib Dems back in the 2003 election and it has taken an awful long time.

“Everybody is keen to see the Old Gaol open again.”

Abingdon Town Council leader Sandy Lovatt said: “I’m happy they’re making pro-gress. It does seem slow.”

The Old Gaol was built in 1811 by French prisoners of war and housed all prisoners in Berkshire for 50 years.

It became a leisure centre in 1974 but closed in 2002 when the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre opened.

Cranbourne Homes was the only one of four shortlisted bidders to offer the council anything for the site.