12 projects put forward in Glastonbury investment plan for £24.5 million Town Deal money
By Tim Lethaby
16th Jul 2021 | Local News
A dozen projects have been put forward in the Glastonbury Town Investment Plan, which has been submitted to the government for funding.
Glastonbury is one of 101 towns in the UK to receive up to £24.5 million worth of investment, as part of the Government's Town Deal initiative.
The Glastonbury Town Deal Board has approved the Town Investment Plan and this has now been submitted to the government.
The plan was developed following consultation with the community and sets out key investment priorities for driving economic growth.
Twelve outline business cases are included for projects that will aim to generate productivity as well as improve well-being. The board will now await the Government's decision as to which projects will be funded.
The 12 projects put forward for funding in the plan are:
1. The Historic Baily's Site
Town Deal funding applied for: £6.32 million
This project will aesthetically and physically re-energise the Baily's complex which is part of the town's industrial past and is closely linked with the wider community.
It will create a zero-carbon hub for local start-up, small and growing businesses, educational groups, workshops and the Glastonbury Environment Centre all housed within a beautifully conserved historic building complex together with a small, dedicated visitor centre celebrating the industrial past.
2. Glastonbury Enterprise and Innovation Hub
Town Deal funding applied for: £1.21 million
The Beckery Resource Centre will be developed into the Glastonbury Enterprise & Innovation Hub (GEIH) to provide:
- Business space and enterprise infrastructure on flexible, easy-in easy-out terms.
- Dedicated food manufacturing space to include a Product Test Kitchen/ manufacturing space and temperature-controlled storage space.
- Space that can be used to deliver training and education programmes.
- Enhanced digital infrastructure and skills facilities.
- Dedicated meeting/training rooms and onsite business support services for Beckery Village and the whole of Glastonbury.
3. The Life Factory - The Regeneration of Building C at the Red Brick Building
Town Deal funding applied for: £2.77 million
Building C will be renovated to provide space for:
The Life Factory - An artisan design and crafts business incubation and enterprise zone, allowing people of all ages to gain creative design and practical maker skills and a progression route into creative employment including incubation support for those establishing their own business.
The Youth Factory - A dedicated Youth Engagement zone, led by young people and supported by qualified youth workers. The zone will include a high-ropes course and climbing wall, computer suite, and other glass-partitioned breakout rooms for age-appropriate hobby groups.
The Music Factory/Living Room - The Living Room is an acoustically treated music and performance arts zone for the production of professional music, dance, drama and song. it will provide employment, multi-layers of income for the building and skills training to complement those on offer from local education providers.
Glastonbury FM Radio relocation and The Media Studio - Relocation of GFM into Building C to create a state-of-the-art Community Media Centre to showcase the creative talent of young people beyond the boundaries of Glastonbury. Equipped with a full-time live broadcast radio studio, a broadcast-ready radio studio also used for training and pre-records, and a teaching suite equipped with video/film technology
4. Glastonbury Clean Energy
Town Deal funding applied for: £2.91 million
This project will make a vital contribution to realising Glastonbury Town Council's goal for Glastonbury to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Through investment in clean growth, it will enable the town's sustainable economic regeneration by creating new self-financing green jobs, and providing profits available to town for other projects.
The project will be delivered by Avalon Community Energy (ACE) in collaboration with Beckery Village businesses, community organisations and landowners.
5. Glastonbury Environment Centre
Town Deal funding applied for: £2.82 million
To develop a visionary new Nature Engagement and Sustainability Centre, within the existing Baily's Buildings of the Beckery and Morland's site.
This centre will be a catalyst for sustainability, a green economy and climate change mitigation.
6. St Brigid's Chapel and Field
Town Deal funding applied for: £700,000
The focus of this project is a unique landscape which has at its heart the earliest monastic remains ever found archaeologically in Britain.
A partnership between the Friends of Bride's Mound, South West Heritage Trust and Somerset Wildlife Trust will create a new visitor destination there, protecting, interpreting and making accessible the heritage and natural environment of the St Brigid's Chapel and Field sites (33 acres together called Beckery).
7. Glastonbury Food and Regenerative Farming Centre
Town Deal funding applied for: £1.17 million
The Glastonbury Food and Regenerative Farming Project proposes to purchase 23 acres of under-utilised alluvial pastureland and buildings to the west of Beckery Village.
The project will establish a community-led agroecological facility which will operate as a centre for:
- Food resilience.
- Demonstration farming and knowledge exchange for small scale regenerative agriculture.
- Teaching.
- Small conferences.
- Work, respite and recovery for people suffering from Covid aftereffects.
- Visitors
8. Transport and Travel
Town Deal funding applied for: £970,000
Glastonbury is constrained by heritage sites and its location adjacent to the Somerset Levels. The provision of improved park and ride facilities will:
- Assist with the shortage of car parking facilities, particularly in the centre of town.
- Allow a growth in visitor numbers which in turn improves the town's sustainability.
- Allows for the introduction of an improved night-time economy, which in turn assists sustainability.
- The introduction of an electric bus service will meet the requirements to reduce carbon emissions, improve health and meet the expectations of Glastonbury residents to become carbon neutral.
- Removes issues on existing sites relating to car parking which are difficult to manage.
9. Enabling Project
Town Deal funding applied for: £1.46 million
In order to renovate the buildings within the Beckery Village area, there are two strands of enabling works that are crucial for the whole regeneration.
The first relates to Phosphates Mitigation and to the Sewage Works in Glastonbury. The second relates to the non-bricks and mortar communities in Glastonbury and seeks to improve the situation for roadside dwellers and those on the current challenging site through some enabling developments, including works required to enable a secure site for the those in this situation.
10. St Dunstan's House Community and Wellbeing Centre
Town Deal funding applied for: £1.26 million
There are many community groups in Glastonbury that provide support for residents and at present do not have Covid secure premises in which to meet.
This development within buildings currently owned by Glastonbury Town Council will provide this hub.
There is an amazing offer in terms of helping people into employment, providing support for vulnerable groups in the community, access to digital support for all, assisting with healthy cooking and living, alongside support for businesses that, at present is not available in the town centre.
11. Glastonbury Abbey Piazza
Town Deal funding applied for: £970,000
This project will significantly enhance the main entrance approaches and visitor reception facilities at Glastonbury Abbey improving its visibility, accessibility and physical connection to the town.
12. Glastonbury Community Sports and Leisure Hub
Town Deal funding applied for: £1.94 million
Glastonbury has a long history of sporting achievement and deserves the best facilities, but our sports grounds are in need of regeneration and our clubs need security of tenure.
This project will achieve this by providing a purpose-built sports and leisure hub. It will unite Glastonbury Football Club onto the Tor Leisure Centre site and create a multi sports venue for a wide range of sports and recreational activities.
An exemplar clubhouse will be built as heart of the venue and home for the clubs and societies that use the site as well as charity events.
A new all-weather pitch with tiered seating and changing rooms will accommodate Glastonbury Football Club and field hockey and be available for tennis and netball.
Wyrral Park Bowls club will allow them to continue to provide for the 150 members they already have and perpetuate their growth.
A new short mat bowls rink will allow them to play all year round and stop hiring bowls rinks outside of the town.
The site will become a hub of excellence, providing sports and leisure training and employment for the local population.
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