Demolition work has started today (Monday, 15 June 2026) at the Crispin Shopping Centre in Street. The first phase will see the entrance canopy removed from the High Street side of the closed shopping centre.

The move follows Somerset Council's approval for Aberdare Estates Ltd, the site's current owners, to demolish the canopy. The wider site is earmarked for redevelopment by Churchill Retirement Living, which has permission to replace the shopping centre with 45 extra care apartments and 11 retirement cottages.

The Crispin Shopping Centre has stood in Street since 1979, but has declined in recent years following the closure of the former Tesco Metro store. The canopy removal is separate from the wider demolition of the shopping centre buildings, with further plans expected as the main redevelopment progresses.

Churchill's approved scheme would see the existing buildings replaced by a three-storey, L-shaped apartment block, with two blocks of cottages on the northern and eastern sides of the site. Access is planned from Leigh Road, including a pedestrian entrance near the library, while the High Street entrance would mainly be used for servicing.

A communal car park with 21 spaces is planned in the centre of the site, with landscaping intended to separate the new homes from the council-run Southside car park on Vestry Road. The site sits within Street conservation area, and a grade II listed mural within the site is due to be retained.

Planning agent Chris Hays, of Sycha Development Planning, said the canopy did not contribute positively to the character and appearance of the conservation area. He said its removal would have a "minor positive impact" and added there was a clear reason for removing the redundant structure now the shopping centre had closed.

More local stories

• Wells Moat Boat Race entries open for this year's event
• Shepton Mallet photographer Sir Don McCullin honoured by King
• Glastonbury police appeal after caravans destroyed in fire

Subscribe to the free Glastonbury Nub News newsletter Get the biggest Glastonbury stories straight to your inbox.