Police have confirmed no further action will be taken following a year-long investigation into the troubled Life Factory regeneration project at Glastonbury's Red Brick Building. Avon and Somerset Constabulary said enquiries had found "insufficient evidence of criminality" to justify any further investigation.

The project, based at the Red Brick Building on Morland Road, was intended to transform the derelict Building C into community events space, offices and other facilities. It formed part of the wider £23.6 million Glastonbury Town Deal programme.

Somerset Council paused payments to the project in January 2024 after concerns were raised about financial management, governance and value for money. The council later referred the scheme to the South West Audit Partnership, with its findings shared with police.

The council said its audit work had been unable to adequately reconcile invoices submitted in grant claims with actual spending and progress on site. Its published update said more than £2.89 million of spending had been identified but concluded the project could not be delivered in accordance with its grant funding agreement.

The police review began in 2025, with the force's fraud team considering the material before deciding whether there was evidence to support criminal proceedings.

Nearly a year later, that process has now ended without further action.

Somerset Council chief executive Duncan Sharkey informed councillors of the decision when the full council met in Bridgwater on Wednesday, 16 September.

He said: "I just need to inform the council that Avon and Somerset Constabulary has confirmed they'll be taking no further action to the referral made by SWAP Internal Audit Services Partnership on behalf of the council regarding the Red Brick Building Centre-led Life Factory project in Glastonbury.

"I just wanted members to be aware that we've been informed about that by the police now."

Avon and Somerset Constabulary separately confirmed that its enquiries had not uncovered enough evidence to continue the investigation.

A spokesperson said: "In 2025, we received a report from an auditor service on behalf of Somerset Council concerning the funding of the renovation project of the Life Factory in Glastonbury.

"Enquiries have been undertaken and have found there is insufficient evidence of criminality to warrant any further investigation and therefore no action will be taken."

The decision brings the police investigation to a close, but follows a lengthy fallout from the project's collapse.

Mr Sharkey formally apologised on behalf of Somerset Council in December 2025 for mistakes made in the management and oversight of the scheme. The council has since introduced changes following a "lessons learned" review, including measures around securing match funding and making decision-making more transparent.

The council's earlier review had acknowledged that its own oversight and monitoring of the Life Factory project could have been stronger.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary said its enquiries found there was "insufficient evidence of criminality to warrant any further investigation" and that no action would be taken.

Original reporting: LDRS/Daniel Mumby

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