Letter: Former prison perfect for young executives
There have been several items in the Shropshire Star in recent days discussing possible future uses of the former Shrewsbury Prison now that it has been put up for sale.
I would have thought that it would be ideal for conversion into living accommodation of which there is a countrywide shortage at present. If each of the 182 former cells is 13' x 7' as your contributors suggest, then three cells would convert to a pleasant studio flat (2 cells knocked into one 13' x 14' bed-sitter and one cell divided into a bathroom and a kitchen).
Similarly, five cells could be knocked into a one bedroom apartment. Cell windows are at present unacceptably high, but the sills could be lowered without infringing the building's listed status, indeed sympathetically installed taller (but not wider) windows would greatly improve its external appearance as well as providing an interesting panorama of old Shrewsbury for residents.
Above all the location adjacent to the railway station would make accommodation there ideal for young professionals comuting to Wolverhampton and Birmingham..
Given the current pressure to build on the green belt it would be inexcusable not to take advantage of so ideally placed a brownfield site as this to provide high quality accommodation in an ideal setting.
David Burton
Wellington
