The well-loved 37 Sports and Social Club near Somerset’s emerging gigafactory site is set for demolition, making way for a state-of-the-art community facility alongside a proposed hotel nearby.
Situated on Loverose Way between Puriton and Woolavington, on the southern edge of the Gravity enterprise zone, the club stands in the path of the new development. As part of the wider planning approval for the gigafactory—which has already begun phase one construction—the existing club will be replaced with a modern facility catering to current villagers and the incoming workforce.
This Is Gravity Ltd. has submitted plans for the new community and leisure centre to be constructed on Woolavington Road, close to the gigafactory’s access point at Enterprise Way and directly opposite the Polden Orchards housing development by Redrow Homes.
The new two-storey building will mirror all the current amenities of the 37 Club, including four snooker tables, two skittle alleys, and a licensed bar. The upper floor will feature a private function room and café, equipped with a kitchen and bar. Parking provision includes 18 spaces adjacent to the facility—four designated for disabled users—and five electric vehicle charging points, with an additional 38-space overspill car park to the north.
Adjacent to the new community hub, plans outline the future construction of an aparthotel with 85 parking spaces. Details of this development will be unveiled shortly through a separate planning application.
Reed Holland Architects, representing the applicant, shared that the building design adapts to the steep terrain with a partially underground lower ground floor supported by retaining walls on three sides to reduce overall height. The larger upper ground floor extends north with a framed window and south to create a covered terrace. The materials selected reflect the area’s industrial heritage, ensuring the new facility connects with its local roots while providing a future-ready space.
Somerset Council is anticipated to reach a decision on the community centre plans by early autumn, with the aparthotel proposal expected to follow before the end of the year.