Work to convert a former prison into student accommodation is yet to start, 10 years on from its closure.

HMP Canterbury, which once held the likes of the Kray twins and double murderer Michael Stone, was shut down in 2013 and put on the market a year later.

But a decade on, long-running plans to transform it into student digs have not yet materialised, leaving the main prison buildings largely unused – except for tours and filming.

The sprawling site in Longport was snapped up by Canterbury Christ Church University in April 2014 as part of its Estate Master Plan.

This is a 15 to 20 year commitment to develop the city's campus into a "sustainable central site" which delivers a "first-class experience" for current and future students and staff.

But while HMP Canterbury's main prison buildings remain empty, other parts of the site are in use.

"The extensive backlands area of the former prison site has been developed and is now home to the university’s Verena Holmes Building, a £65m STEM facility," a CCCU spokesman said.

"This central location is home to the EDGE Hub and the Kent and Medway Medical School, and brings together industry and students from engineering, science, and health in an innovative learning environment, supporting our students to become the highly-skilled workforce of the future.

"As part of the Estate Master Plan, the university is continuing to develop areas within the Canterbury campus, this will in the future include the remaining areas of the prison site."

The former prison has been used as a location for filming television programmes, such as mystery series The Capture and BBC drama Small Axe.

HMP Canterbury was built in 1808 with a capacity of 41 men and women housed on separate wings.

Inmates were divided between the jail and workhouse – the latter for administering a sharp shock of labour to frivolous offenders, typically life’s drop-outs and drifters.

Most criminals were young males and their offences were largely petty theft or pick-pocketing.

But the most common offences committed by women were linked to prostitution and were, essentially, 'victimless' crimes – soliciting, vagrancy, drunkenness, drunk and disorderly.

Children branded criminals could be given the same punishment as adults for much of Queen Victoria’s reign.

By the 1860s, the site housed 152 males and 14 females in 132 cells.

For much of its history the jail was for local people, holding remand prisoners before trial, convicts awaiting transfer and inmates serving short sentences.

But soaring prison populations meant smaller jails became dangerously overcrowded; high levels of suicide, self-harm and violence were prevalent through to the 21st century.

Following a scathing inspection report highlighting severe overcrowding, the Ministry of Justice closed the prison in 2013.

By then, the building had three wings, a chapel, reception, education block, hospital, gym, kitchen, library and workshops.

Holding a maximum 400 prisoners, the jail saw numerous high-profile criminals incarcerated there, including Reggie and Ronnie Kray.

The infamous Kray twins are known the world over as two of the most feared and brutal London gangsters during the 1960s.

Double murderer Michael Stone, who bludgeoned Dr Lin Russell and her two young daughters after setting upon them in a Chillenden country lane in 1996, was also held there.

The former drug addict from Gillingham was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years behind bars after he was convicted of two counts of murder and one of attempted murder after a retrial in February 2001.

Stone, who attempted to convince investigators Levi Bellfield is the real killer, has since had numerous appeal bids quashed, the latest in 2019.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt also served seven months there for a spot fixing scandal.

Butt was handed a two-and-half year sentence for his part in a conspiracy to bowl deliberate no balls and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments during a Test match against England at Lord's in 2010.

His teammate and former world number two Test bowler Mohammad Asif was also jailed for one year after pleading guilty to his part in the scam.

Canterbury Christ Church could not confirm when work was expected to start on transforming the site, nor when it would be completed.