DARTMOOR Prison does not have a future in a modern, cost-effective prison system, the Government has announced, and has indicated that it could close in ten years.

The Government last week announced the next stage in its prison modernisation programme which includes a new prison in Wrexham, a planned prison for the South East of England, a number of mini prisons and the closure of four older prisons.

But it also said that discussions will begin to end the lease on HMP Dartmoor. The report says: 'Final decisions on the site are a long way off as the lease has a ten-year notice period but the age and limitations of the prison mean that it does not have a long-term future in a modern cost-effective prison system.'

The changes form part of overall plans that will reduce the cost of prisons to taxpayers by more than £500-million,

The historic category C prison has been an imposing structure on the Dartmoor landscape since 1809 when it was opened to house prisoners from the Napoleonic wars.

It once held 6,000 prisoners but today 660 criminals are imprisoned there. It employs around 300 staff.

The Prison Reform Trust said the site could become a museum. MP for West Devon Geoffrey Cox said it was 'wholly unacceptable' if the listed building was left to rot and no new jobs found. It is not known whether a replacement prison would be built in the South West.

Dartmoor Prison is often a hotspot for visitors coming to Dartmoor and and it employs many people from the community.

Owner of Princetown Post Office and Stores Mark Renders said closure of the prison would have quite an impact on his business.

'We are quite reliant on it, especially outside the summer,' he said.