Princetown, a village of approximately 1,400 residents on Dartmoor, is poised for economic and social regeneration following the closure of Dartmoor prison due to hazardous radon gas levels. The prison, an ageing Victorian structure, was vacated in 2024 after testing revealed unsafe radiation exposure risks for inmates and staff. The facility is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, which leases it to the Ministry of Justice under a 25-year agreement signed in 2023. However, the government cannot terminate the lease before December 2033.
Since the prison’s closure, Princetown has faced economic difficulties, but a new initiative led by Prince William, Duke of Cornwall, aims to support the village and its surrounding moorland. The Duke has committed to reinvesting the £1.5 million annual rent paid by the Ministry of Justice into local projects designed to provide social, economic, and environmental benefits.
A newly established Princetown Community Fund will allocate at least £250,000 per year in grants ranging from £500 to £40,000 for community-led initiatives. Additional investments from the rent will support broader local development efforts. Speaking during a recent visit to Princetown, the Duke described the village as “the gateway community” and emphasized its historical role as an economic driver in the region. He expressed his intent to continue investing regardless of the prison’s future reopening.
Emma Magee, head of communities and nature for Dartmoor at the Duchy, highlighted the fund’s role in fostering community identity, resilience, and purpose, emphasizing that these objectives remain important whether or not the prison remains operational.
The Duchy’s wider strategy, announced earlier this year, includes plans to sell a fifth of its holdings over the next decade. The objective is to raise £500 million to address housing, financial, and environmental challenges across five key areas: the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Dartmoor, the Bath area, and Kennington in south London.
Local response to the fund has been cautiously optimistic. Nora Corkery, chief executive of Devon Communities Together, described the level of planned investment as unprecedented in the area. Residents like Zelah Stott, who opened the Happy Belly bakery with her husband last year, noted that the village has felt “rudderless” since the prison’s closure but welcomed the renewed sense of hope. Similarly, Gari Mann, a local security guard, is launching an alpaca walking business with family members and spoke of the village’s decline since the prison shut down, expressing that the investment could bring much-needed revitalization.
Will Bax, chief executive of the Duchy of Cornwall, reiterated that the £1.5 million annual rent would continue to be reinvested into Princetown as long as the prison remains empty. He acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the prison’s reopening and described the situation as “a state of limbo” for the village. Bax affirmed the Duchy’s commitment to collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to help find a resolution.