Glastonbury’s £200,000 Abbey Park revamp heads for decision

By Laura Linham 8th Oct 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 4 minutes ago

Glastonbury's planned £200,000 Abbey Park playground revamp will go before councillors next week, with a decision on who should deliver the scheme.

The town council will consider a recommendation from its Play Park working group on Tuesday, 13 October, following a public consultation on nine proposed designs.

The redevelopment has a budget of up to £200,000 excluding VAT and is intended to create a play area for children of different ages and abilities. The council's published timetable envisages installation during March and April, with the new playground opening in April 2027.

Residents' feedback carries substantial weight in choosing the successful proposal, accounting for 30 per cent of the overall evaluation score. Families were invited to view the designs online and at a Town Hall exhibition on 30 September.

The council asked designers to draw on Glastonbury's heritage, myths and landscape rather than submit a standard collection of playground equipment. Its brief encouraged adventurous and imaginative play, alongside natural landscaping, seating and places for families to gather.

Accessibility is also part of the assessment, with proposals expected to consider how children with different abilities can play together. The brief includes accessible routes, wheelchair-accessible equipment and sensory experiences, as well as provision that considers autism and ADHD.

Designers were required to retain the park's mature trees and respect its historic surroundings. Nine companies submitted concepts, each showing a proposed layout and an overall visualisation of the new play area.

Next week's agenda asks councillors to receive the working group's recommendation and award a contract for the redevelopment. The meeting will take place at Glastonbury Town Hall at 7pm.

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

Residents can attend, with an opportunity to ask questions or make comments before council business begins. Speaking places must be booked through the clerk's office by emailing [email protected], calling 01458 831769 or visiting the Information Centre reception.