The Scottish Prison Service has “no plans” to bring young offenders back to the north-east’s superjail.
HMP Grampian, in Peterhead, opened in March 2014 and was designed to house men and women, as well as young offenders.
It had been hoped the facility would make it easier for local prisoners to access services, while keeping them close to their families.
But after a 14-hour disturbance in its Ellon Wing broke out just one month after it opened its doors, many prisoners – including young offenders – were moved to other prisons across the country.
Now, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has confirmed it is no closer to returning the local youths to Buchan.
In a letter to Justice Secretary Michael Matheson, the prison service said there are “no plans to relocate young offenders from Polmont to HMP Grampian”.
North-east MSP Lewis Macdonald said the revelation “flies in the face” of promises made about the prison being used to the benefit of the region.
“Despite not being involved in the violent incidents at HMP Grampian in May 2014, young offenders were moved to Polmont where they have been housed ever since,” he added.
“Experts know how vital family contact is for rehabilitation.”
Mr Macdonald suggested the latest “excuse”, that HMP Grampian cannot offer the same range of activities and services as Polmont, meant the modern facility was “fast becoming an expensive white elephant”.
A spokesman for the SPS has previously said that the young offenders wing of HMP Grampian would remain closed until it was satisfied the same level of “regime” as YOI Polmont.
A total of £150,000 worth of damage was caused during the standoff with guards in April 2014.
