The hospital wing, where 10 republican hunger strikers died in the early 1980s, and one of the H blocks have retained listed status following a departmental review.

Much of the remainder of the site has been demolished.

Environment Minister Edwin Poots said there will be no change to the listed status of the buildings.

Last June, his party colleague and former Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson, asked officials to consider if the listed status of the section of the Maze could be revoked.

The Traditional Unionist Voice has blasted the outcome saying it will lead to the creation of a "republican Mecca".

Vice-chair Keith Harbinson said: "Unionists will be shocked at the announcement.

"That the Maze should be granted the same protection as Northern Ireland's architectural treasures is outrageous.

"What is the justification for this protection? Is it because these buildings are the site of a number of suicides by republican fanatics, or the fact that they are the site of the most notorious break-out in British penal history, or is it simply because Minister Poots and his party colleagues have decided it is politically prudent not to upset their government partners?"

But DUP Lagan Valley MLA Jonathan Craig hit back saying the decision to list the Maze buildings was taken under Direct Rule.

"The DUP in Lisburn opposed the buildings being listed and indeed argued against it at the council," he said.

"Thanks to devolution, the unionist community has a veto on the development at that site.

"The DUP will ensure there is nothing at the Maze site that would cause hurt or offence to anyone, least of all the innocent victims of terrorism. We oppose any sort of shrine or attempt to whitewash the history of that place."

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott also called for the site to be de-listed.

"The reality is that this entire issue could be knocked on the head if Minister Poots took the necessary course of action and de-listed the buildings with immediate effect – then we could begin the process of working towards their demolition," he said.

A development corporation is to be set up to look at what to do with the former jail site after the then Sports Minister Gregory Campbell decided last year not to build a multi-sports stadium there.

More than £350,000 has been spent maintaining the listed buildings on the site of the former Maze prison over the last four years.

The high-security prison, built to house paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles, was closed in 2000.

A spokesman for the Department for the Environment said: "The structures meet the criteria for listing. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency recently reviewed the listings on the site, re-evaluating the special architectural and historic interest against the standard listing criteria, and concluded that no buildings should be de-listed.

"This review included recording the current condition of the buildings and considered the arguments put forward against listing."

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein Lagan Valley MLA Paul Butler said: "Long Kesh is a site of significant historical importance and Sinn Fein will ensure that the listed buildings are maintained in order to utilise the historic, economic and reconciliation potential that goes along with the site."