Glastonbury Abbey Yard and St Dunstan’s House at the Royal Town Planning Institute Awards for Planning Excellence 2026
Tabled 27 October 2026 by Sarah Dyke
That this House celebrates the Glastonbury Abbey Yard project, creating a welcoming and accessible new entrance to the internationally renowned abbey, and the St Dunstan’s House project, bringing a prominent town-centre building back into use as an accessible hub for community and well-being services, supported by the Glastonbury Town Deal programme; notes that both projects were jointly named best project and best in region at the Royal Town Planning Institute South West Awards for Planning Excellence 2026 and will now go forward at the national awards; wishes all the projects involved continued success, congratulates Somerset Council, together with the Glastonbury Town Deal Board, Glastonbury Town Council and their local partners, on this achievement through their hard work and collaboration; further notes that the winner of the Excellence in Planning for Heritage and Culture category will be announced in London on 3 December 2026; recognises the valuable contribution such projects make to rural communities by revitalising high streets, supporting local enterprise and preserving local heritage; and calls on the Government to build on this work through the creation of a High Streets Back Home scheme, providing a clear route for people to invest in their communities by restoring heritage buildings, supporting local businesses and securing assets for community use.