“Large-scale commercial” plan makes Morland project costly

A magazine called “Free State”, whose cover shows an image of a factory over a canal, and titles such as “Morlands” and “Genetic Engineering”. — The cover of the magazine that Bruce Garrard edits and publishes.

The Morland site is contaminated by centuries of tannery work, therefore cleaning it up will cost so much that only large-scale big-business commercial development makes economic sense — so goes the argument.

But, writes Bruce Garrard in the latest issue of Free State magazine, “It could be seen the other way around: it is because the site is intended for such large-scale commercial development that the cost will be so high.”

The five-page article is the first of a series on the major social and environmental issues involved. The magazine, from Unique Publications in Glastonbury, sells for £1.95 through the tourist information centre and local bookshops.

Redeveloping the old Morland factory site, a derelict eyesore on Glastonbury’s doorstep for 16 years, is likely to be the subject of a high-profile planning application in 1999. Ten years ago Mendip nearly applied to compulsorily purchase the site from G.R. Holdings — this anonymous London firm also owned the Fair Field and Wirral Park, the green land that now is Safeway, housing and B&Q.