HMP Dartmoor temporarily shut in July 2024

Prince William has been making at least £2.5million in profit by renting out a prison that has been closed for more than a year, according to a new report.

HMP Dartmoor, in Devon, was a Category C prison that shut in July 2024 after dangerous levels of the hazardous radon gas were detected.

The concentrations of radon, a colourless and odourless radioactive gas produced by decaying uranium in rocks and soil, were found ten times above the legal threshold in certain areas of the prison during testing conducted in 2020 and 2023.

The facility is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, the estate that provides a direct income for the Prince of Wales.

The Duchy has leased it to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) since December 2023, at a charge of £1.5million per year. Over the 20 months since its closure, this lease has generated at least £2.5million, according to The Sunday Times.

Despite the facility’s closure, rental payments from the taxpayer-funded lease have continued to flow to the 52,000-hectare estate that William inherited upon his father’s accession to the throne.

The Duchy said: “We have been actively engaged in discussions with the Ministry of Justice since the closure to find a fair and sustainable solution to this issue as soon as possible. The Duchy of Cornwall is focussed on making positive social and environmental impact in all our communities.

“We have a long-term commitment to Princetown, home to HMP Dartmoor, as well as the wider area. The Duchy of Cornwall has already kick-started a significant decade-long investment programme, which is being shaped by public consultation launched in the village in the last year.

Prince William has been making at least £2.5million in profit by renting out a prison that has been closed for more than a year, according to a new report

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“Investing resources into initiatives that drive the Duchy of Cornwall’s impact is essential. More widely, ongoing activity includes the 20-year Dartmoor landscape recovery plan, which recently restored 3,000 acres of degraded peatland, and community building at scale in Nansledan, Cornwall, which is now home to more 1,200 people and over 40 businesses, as well as our first ever housing project to directly address homelessness.

“The lease of HMP Dartmoor reflects long-standing arrangements governing the site and was negotiated on a standard commercial basis with both parties taking independent advice. We remain in regular contact with the Ministry of Justice, as it determines the future of the prison. We do not disclose the financial details of our leases.”

The MoJ now faces the prospect of legal action from some 750 former prison officers and inmates who were exposed to the dangerous gas during their time at the facility.

HMP Dartmoor, in Devon, was a Category C prison that shut in July 2024 after dangerous levels of the hazardous radon gas were detected

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Radon is particularly prevalent in granite-rich regions such as Dartmoor. It ranks as Britain’s second leading cause of lung cancer, claiming approximately 1,000 lives annually.

The Government acknowledged it was fully aware of the prison’s radon contamination, and has insisted the facility is “temporarily closed for mitigation and investigation works related to radon.”

The abandoned facility continues to drain public resources, with an estimated £4million spent annually on private security, ventilation improvements and business rates.

HM Prison and Probation Service said: “We continue to assess safety and feasibility at HMP Dartmoor, and will make a decision on the site in due course that prioritises the highest possible value for taxpayer money.

“As there is an ongoing [Health and Safety Executive] investigation and live legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further, but we have strengthened radon management across the prison estate in line with regulatory requirements.”

GB News has approached William for comment.