A team of volunteers gathered at the derelict Baily's Buildings site on Sunday (23 March) to help plant a new corridor of trees that will support bat habitats as part of the ongoing regeneration project in Glastonbury.

The event marks another step forward for the Beckery Island Regeneration Trust (BIRT), which is overseeing the restoration of the Grade II listed former tannery and glove factory. Once a hub of local industry, the site has been largely disused since the 1980s and is now home to nesting birds and at least nine species of bats, including the locally rare greater and lesser horseshoe bats.

The tree planting, which took place along a section of the western bank of Mill Stream, is designed to create a natural "dark corridor" to guide bats safely between their new roosts and the wider landscape. Temporary roosts were installed earlier as part of the enabling works.

Josh Butterworth from Geckoella, the consultancy leading the site's ecological surveys, said: "It was fantastic to see so many enthusiastic volunteers helping to create important habitat for the project. This will be vital to the long-term ecological value of the site, and highlights how greenspace can be integrated within development projects."

BIRT chair Ian Tucker added: "We are grateful to everyone who came along to be part of our community tree planting day, with particular thanks to the Glastonbury Conservation Society which donated all the plants. It's important that this project demonstrates how wildlife should be considered within a large development project, providing the right ecological environment so that people and wildlife can coexist."

The renovation of Baily's West building is now underway, backed by a £6.3 million grant from the Glastonbury Town Deal. The Town Deal is bringing £23.6 million of government funding to Glastonbury as part of the national Towns Fund programme, with a focus on regeneration, culture, skills and enterprise.

Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, Chair of the Glastonbury Town Deal Board, was among the volunteers who took part in the tree planting. She said: "Yet again volunteers have given their time, skills and energy to a Glastonbury Town Deal project. This is so important and we are very grateful to everyone who came. It was really enjoyable working together to plant lots of trees and to see the significant work and progress happening on the Baily's West Building."

The aim is for the redeveloped site to become a vibrant space for local businesses, education and community activity—while also ensuring the existing wildlife continues to thrive.

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