The Glastonbury Town Deal board has confirmed that two of the ten government-funded projects under the £23.6 million Towns Deal scheme are now open, while three more are scheduled to complete before the end of autumn.
Among the projects already completed is the refurbishment of the Tor Sports and Leisure facility, which opened in February and attracted more than 600 visitors on its launch day. The centre has been transformed into a modern community sports and leisure hub, already attracting clubs, groups and events back into the town.
Earlier this month, the new entrance at Glastonbury Abbey Yard was unveiled. The improvements aim to provide a visitor experience that reflects the abbey’s international archaeological and cultural significance, while also creating a new open-air social space in the town centre.
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Three more projects are due to open this autumn. These include the St Dunstan’s House Community Health & Wellbeing Centre, adjacent to Glastonbury Town Hall. The restored facility will offer a central space for community activities, health and wellbeing support, and employment guidance.
Another is the educational visitor destination at St Brigid’s Chapel & Field, which will open up 33 acres of natural landscape to the public. The site aims to enhance understanding of Glastonbury’s Pagan and Christian heritage.
Also expected to be completed this year is the Glastonbury Food and Regenerative Farming Centre. Designed as an educational research facility, it will promote natural farming methods, land management, and a holistic approach to wellbeing. The centre is intended as a space where people of all ages can come together to learn and grow.
However, the update also revealed that one project, the Life Factory within the Red Brick Building, has had its funding paused due to financial and project management concerns. The site is now under forensic audit by the SW Audit Partnership on behalf of Somerset Council, which is responsible for all the projects. The Town Deal board stated this is an isolated issue and no other projects are affected.
Another key initiative, the Robert Richards Initiative, is progressing on schedule for a March 2026 completion. The project covers sustainable building across six Town Deal projects and includes green infrastructure developments such as walking and cycling paths at Tor Leisure and Beckery. The newly installed multi-use paths are already being used by residents for recreation and as a car-free route into the town centre.
The remaining projects, all due to complete by March 2026, include phase one renovations at the historic Baily’s Buildings to create workspaces for small businesses; the Enabling Project, which aims to support the local non-bricks and mortar community with a permanent site; and the Glastonbury Clean Energy project, which focuses on renewable energy generation and electric vehicle charging points. Two rooftop solar arrays have already been installed at St Dunstan’s School and Brunelcare.
Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, chair of the Glastonbury Town Deal board, said: “The £23.6million Glastonbury Town Deal investment is ambitious and complex, but our aspiration is for every person in Glastonbury to be positively affected by one or more of the projects. Although the Glastonbury Town Deal board is advisory, the board members have worked tirelessly, in an unpaid voluntary capacity, since 2019. In partnership with Somerset Council, we are proud to support the successful delivery of the Town Investment Plan through the ten Town Deal projects, along with the achievement of their targets, outcomes, and impacts in the longer term. Together these projects will transform our town, providing better resources, facilities, and opportunities for the people of Glastonbury.”
Jane Sharp, programme manager for the Glastonbury Town Deal, added: “It’s really exciting that two town centre projects have been completed and a third will be open soon. We are working closely with project leads to ensure they have the support they need to successfully deliver their projects by the end of March 2026 deadline.”