A ONCE-in-a-generation investment for Glastonbury is within touching distance after the business cases for 10 Town Deal projects were approved for submission to the Government.

Mendip District Council's Cabinet has signed off the application for £23.6million funding and now awaits a decision from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Council leader Cllr Ros Wyke, said: “Economic growth has never been more important, especially as we are recovering from a pandemic and experiencing a cost of living crisis.

“All the people involved in the Town Deal know they have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here.

“These projects are innovative, and consider the environment, and how we live and work. A community benefit society is being set up to receive income from the bigger projects, to help the smaller ones thrive.”

The 10 projects:

  • Regeneration of the Baily’s Buildings as a sustainable hub for start-up, small and growing businesses and a museum celebrating the town’s industrial heritage.
  • Establishment of the Glastonbury Enterprise and Innovation Hub at Beckery House for affordable, flexible managed workspaces and support for grow-on businesses.
  • Regeneration of Building C as The Life Factory, a community resource, particularly for young people.
  • Glastonbury Clean Energy, investing in renewable energy generation and low carbon transport infrastructure.
  • St Brigid’s Chapel and Field educational visitor centre, creating a gateway to the understanding of Glastonbury's Pagan and Christian histories.
  • Glastonbury Food and Regenerative Farming Centre educational research initiative to demonstrate natural methods for growing food, land management and to promote a holistic approach to wellbeing for land, human and animal symbiosis.
  • An Enabling Project to renovate the buildings within the Beckery Village to sustainably improve the situation for non-bricks and mortar communities.
  • St Dunstan’s Community Health and Wellbeing Centre to be created in St Dunstan’s House for activities and gatherings, health services, and business and employment advice.
  • Glastonbury Abbey Piazza to upgrade facilities.
  • Glastonbury Community Sports and Leisure Hub, converting it into a modern multi-use sports and leisure hub.

Additionally, the Robert Richards Initiative, aiming to be a catalyst for sustainability, a green economy and climate change mitigation, has been granted an extension to the end of August.

But the Transport and Travel project has been removed from the Glastonbury Town Deal plans as it was not deemed viable on economic grounds.