An MP has vowed to do all he can to keep Dartmoor Prison open long-term in Princetown as it closes temporarily.

Tavistock and Torridge MP Sir Geoffrey Cox (Con) also discussed the futures of Tavistock high street, the Tavistock-Plymouth rail link and Princetown’s Dartmoor National Park visitor centre, when he visited residents at Abbeyfield sheltered accommodation, in Tavistock the week before Christmas.

The prison was closed earlier this year after years of high levels of the naturally occurring radon gas were detected.

The Ministry of Justice has moved prisoners out and staff have been redeployed while ventilation and other measures are installed to reduce the gas levels inside. Long-term exposure to radon can cause lung cancer.

The closure has led to fears among staff that the prison could be closed for the long-term as a cost-cutting move after a review of other capital spending by the Government.

Sir Geoffrey said he had contacted the prisons minister, but was still waiting for a reply: “I am determined that Dartmoor Prison should reopen and remain open for the long-term. It’s been closed after they found radon and closed earlier this year for mitigation. I do wonder why this is happening now because they’ve found radon for many years now. It is a worry and they’re not telling the staff what’s happening. I’ve written to the prisons minister saying the prison should have a long-term future, but I haven’t heard anything.”

He said the prison does a lot of rehabilitation work preparing prisoners for release and reducing the likelihood of reoffending.

Sir Geoffrey asked residents of Abbeyfield, on what was his annual visit, what issues were worrying them and was told the increasing number of empty shops in the town centre was making the town less attractive to visitors and shoppers.

He said: “Things aren’t looking too good on the high street. So, I’m planning to see the town council and encourage them to provide extra support to the retailers where they can as they are big high street property owners. I’m also working with BID (Business Improvement District), the business group, and the town mayor to do more to enhance and promote the town centre. We definitely need to get more attractions in the town to draw in more shoppers.”

A potential casualty of the Government’s capital spending could be the Tavistock-Plymouth rail link via Bere Alston after the previous government (of which the MP was a member) promised funding for planning the project.

Sir Geoffrey said: “I’m speaking to the minister about the need for money for the engineering and business cases for the branch line. We’ve seen how popular the Okehampton-Exeter link has been.”

Sir Geoffrey had sourced funding to ensure the Princetown visitor centre stayed open in 2022/24, but it is due to close unless Dartmoor National Park Authority can afford to rent the Duchy of Cornwall’s building.

The MP said: “I’m seeing the Duchy to see what can be done to keep the visitor centre open or provide it somewhere else. We have to think about what we can do to enhance the village.”