Somerset Council is considering reviving the ambitious plans for a “food and regenerative farming centre” in Glastonbury, previously scrapped last December. The initiative was part of the £23.6 million Glastonbury town deal, with a dedicated £1.3 million earmarked for creating a community-led agro-ecological facility on farmland south of Porchestall Drove.
Originally granted planning permission in October 2023, the centre aimed to provide a space for learning and hands-on experience in sustainable local food production. The project envisioned extensive agricultural activities including crop cultivation, an apothecary and herb garden, wetlands, and a forest school. Infrastructure plans featured a processing barn, roundhouses for training, kitchens and offices housed in shipping containers, as well as poly-tunnels and composting toilets.
However, the project was formally terminated by Somerset Council in December 2025 amid controversy linked to the Life Factory project, which remains under police investigation. Despite this setback, the council has now revealed possibilities of reigniting the project, allocating £150,000 from surplus town deal funds, contingent on the exclusion of Red Brick Building Centre Ltd (RBBCL) due to concerns over mismanagement.
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New footpaths, part of the separate Robert Richards initiative within the town deal, would connect the centre to other Glastonbury projects, enhancing integration within the Beckery Village area. To safeguard the farmland, Lambert Smith Hampton was appointed receiver in April, placing the site under independent management while preserving the council’s legal interests.
On May 11, the council announced plans to reallocate £1,408,000 from other Glastonbury town deal projects, with a portion designated for the farming centre, provided three key conditions are fulfilled. Jane Sharp, regeneration specialist for the former Mendip area, emphasized the urgency of reallocating funds to maximize benefits and avoid returning unspent grants to the government when the programme concludes in March 2028.
While the original funding agreement with RBBCL was terminated due to poor delivery and weak financial controls highlighted in an audit, the council remains committed to the centre’s delivery. Officials are engaging with Red Brick’s tenant recovery group, supporting their efforts to devise a viable recovery plan. Although a claim has been lodged to recover misallocated funds, Somerset Council has pledged not to pursue this claim if the organisation successfully implements its recovery strategy.
This renewed commitment signals a hopeful path forward for Glastonbury’s food and regenerative farming centre, blending community engagement, sustainability, and thoughtful stewardship of public investments.