Glastonbury's remaining regeneration projects are expected to be completed on time and on budget despite the significant setbacks with the Red Brick Building.

Glastonbury was one of 101 towns across the UK – and one of only two in Somerset – which has received funding from the government's towns fund, with £23.6m being provided for projects designed to enhance the town centre and improve the town's fortunes.

The funding was originally allocated to 11 projects, but this was scaled back to ten in light of high inflation within the construction industry – with the planned enterprise and innovation hub on Beckery Old Road being the casualty.

Somerset Council announced in late-May that it would be providing no further funding to the revamp of the Red Brick Building on the A39 Street Road, after an audit by the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP) revealed severe mismanagement of the project.

Following the resignation of its chair, Dr. Lynne Sedgmore, the Glastonbury town deal board has now provided reassurance that the other nine projects will all be completed on budget – with some of them already being finished.

Here's where things stand with the remaining nine projects:

St Dunstan's House Health and Well-Being Centre

What was planned: The health and well-being hub will be created between St. Dunstan's House (which housed the town's tourist information centre) and Glastonbury Town Hall. It will serve as a hub for community activities, providing fitness and rehabilitation spaces, mental health support services, and social events to foster social cohesion and combat isolation.

How it's going: after planning permission was granted in October 2023, the delivery of the building was stymied by the need to carry out additional repairs to the roof. After securing £500,000 from the government's community ownership fund and the town council securing a loan to cover any remaining costs, the facility is expected to be up and running in September.

Glastonbury Abbey Piazza

What was planned: the project aimed to create a new "open piazza space" between the gatehouse and the abbey grounds themselves, in order "improve connectivity with the town centre". The existing shop and café building would also be extended and refurbished, as will the museum, with new accessible toilet facilities being provided on site.

How it's going: the newly-renamed Abbey Yard opened to visitors just before Easte, giving a more appropriate welcome to visitors to the Abbey ruins and grounds.

Tor Sports and Leisure Hub

What was planned: the existing Tor Leisure Centre on Oriel Drive, operated by Fusion Lifestyle, was to be extended to provide a 'centre of excellence' for local sports teams. The facility would include a gym, changing rooms, showers and toilets (including an accessible changing places toilet), three treatment rooms and a social area with a bar.

How it's going: this was the first of the town deal projects to be completed, despite the scope of the project being scaled back due to cost pressures. The revamped facility opened to the public in March.

The Robert Richards Initiative

What was planned: named after the first town deal board chair, the initiative seeks to deliver new walking and cycling paths around Glastonbury, giving "opportunity for leisure, exercise and commuting in and around the town" and providing safer access between several of the projects.

How it's going: the popular paths near Tor Sports and Leisure – which were completed in January 2024 – will be extended in the autumn. The Willow Walk will be resurfaced and improved in the coming weeks, along with the delivery of new paths to and from St Brigid's Chapel.

The Baily's Buildings

What was planned: the Baily's Buildings on Beckery Old Road was a major employer in the town until its closure in the 1980s, manufacturing a range of sporting goods – including boxing gloves worn by Henry Cooper, Mohammad Ali and Floyd Patterson. This £8m project aims to bring the buildings back into use to provide flexible and affordable workspaces for local businesses.

How it's going: After planning permission was granted back in December, stabilisation work have been carried out on the entire site, with preparation on parking and planting now complete. Work on the first phase (comprising mainly offices) is well under way, with the Beckery Island Regeneration Trust working to secure match funding to enable the remaining phases to be implemented in the coming months.

Glastonbury Clean Energy

What was planned: this project comprises a partnership between Somerset Council and local firm Avalon Community Energy to deliver energy to local businesses through new solar panel installations. These installations could be on existing business roofs or on existing regeneration sites where appropriate.

How it's going: two rooftop solar installations have been completed, with further installations being planned on publicly owned buildings over the next few months. A solar farm is being planned north of Porchestall Drove, with National Grid already confirming a possible grid connection for this site (a process which can often take years).

St Brigid's Chapel and Field

What was planned: this site contains some of the earliest monastic remains ever found in Britain, and is a scheduled ancient monument which is of great importance to both Christians and pagans. To open up the site to locals and visitors, this project will include a year-round visitors' centre and interpretation boards, providing a focal point for community groups and visitor trips.

How it's going: planning permission for this facility was granted in July 2024, and and work is commencing imminently on the Roundhouse that will form the visitor welcome and information base. Access improvements will be delivered as part of the Robert Richards Initiative before the end of the year.

The Glastonbury Food & Regenerative Farming Centre

What was planned: this facility will be created to the south of Porchestall Drove, between the Sydenham Timber Centre and Bride's Mount. The centre is designed to be "a community-led agroecological facility which will enable people to find a place of learning and development, and gain knowledge and experience in producing local food."

How it's going: planning permission for this project was granted in October 2023, with work progressing on the community farm since the purchase of the organically certified land. A tree nursery is now "well-established" and the site is opportunities for visits and learning by people of all ages.

The Enabling Project

What was planned: described as one of the board's "first ambitions for Glastonbury", the project intended to deliver off-road living space for the 'non-bricks and mortar' community – which in turn would allow other projects within the Beckery area to proceed.

How it's going: Somerset Council originally intended to deliver new travellers' pitches on Porchestall Drove, but this was scrapped in July 2024 after the site flooded for two consecutive winters. A new, smaller site was purchased and was immediately subject to an incursion which has taken months to resolve through the courts. Work is now under way on a new planning application and other pieces of suitable land are also being considered.