Last month I reported that I had written to the new Secretary of State for Justice asking about Ministry of Justice plans for Camp Hill and other land it owns locally.

The key paragraphs from the reply are:

We have previously spoken with senior officers from the Isle of Wight Council about the future use of HMP Camp Hill and the possibility of a sale to the Council. However, because of the increasing demand for prison places we are continuing to review options for the reuse of decommissioned prisons, including Camp Hill.

We are also considering a request from Hampshire County Council to make a site in Medina Way/Parkhurst Road available for the development of a “blue light hub”. This is to enable the relocation of the existing fire and police facilities in Newport to provide an improved service and to enable the release of the existing town centre sites for schemes to help meet the Council’s regeneration aims.

Both paragraphs could have significant implications for the area.

They also have implications for Isle of Wight Council policy. If the MoJ land isn’t available that would put a big home in the council’s housing targets in its currently paused draft planning strategy. Relocation of police and fire facilities would also affect council regeneration policy. It’s not clear if the police move would mean there would be no town centre station.

I am arranging a meeting with cabinet councillors and senior council officers to discuss the implications of this response and how we can get more clarity from the government.