Glastonbury plans £200,000 Abbey Park play area

By Laura Linham 25th Aug 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 11 minutes ago

Glastonbury Town Council has launched a tender for a new play area at Abbey Park, with up to £200,000 available for the project.

Playground designers, manufacturers and contractors are being invited to submit proposals for the scheme, which is intended to provide an inclusive play area for children of different ages and abilities. The council is aiming for the completed play area to open in April 2027.

Rather than specifying a set list of equipment, the council is asking companies to develop designs reflecting Glastonbury's heritage, mythology and landscape.

Its Abbey Park tender says possible themes could include Arthurian stories, dragons, castles and stone circles, while designers are also being encouraged to incorporate natural play features.

The specification suggests elements including timber structures, logs, boulders, stepping trails, changes in ground level and planting. Existing mature trees are to be retained and protected.

Accessibility is also a requirement of the project.

Companies bidding for the work must provide an Inclusivity Statement setting out how their design would provide accessible routes and equipment, sensory play and opportunities for children with different needs to play alongside one another.

The brief specifically asks designers to consider children with autism and ADHD as well as those with physical disabilities and different play preferences.

The new play area is also intended to include places for families to gather, improved seating, landscaping and measures to support biodiversity.

Abbey Park's historic setting will place restrictions on how the work can be carried out. The site lies within the setting of a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and contractors are being asked to minimise excavation and ground disturbance.

Archaeological monitoring may also be required during construction.

The existing football and basketball facilities will remain, while the current large swing set and see-saw are due to be retained and moved elsewhere in Glastonbury.

Residents will have a significant say in which design is ultimately selected.

Results from a planned public consultation will account for 30% of the overall evaluation score, the same weighting given to design quality. Inclusion and accessibility, play value and value for money will also form part of the assessment.

The council plans to begin community consultation on the designs in September, with the preferred supplier due to be selected at a Full Council meeting in October.

The official tender document gives a deadline of midday on Wednesday, 2 September for bids. Installation is scheduled for March and April 2027, with completion, certification and opening targeted for April.