On 23rd January 2024, an extraordinary meeting of Somerset Council’s Executive Committee at Frome Town Hall ended with a unanimous agreement to sell the 12-acre site in central Frome to Mayday Saxonvale Development Ltd, with no conditions attached. This means the not-for-profit Mayday Saxonvale has complete control of and responsibility for the derelict brownfield site. It plans to build 260 homes, with 30% affordable housing, and commercial and leisure space, with any profits going back into the community.
The decision follows a previous meeting of the committee in July 2024, when commercial developer Acorn Group withdrew its offer to buy the site within 24 hours of being selected to develop the site.
Cllr Steve Tanner, leader of Frome Town Council, who chairs the FTC Planning Committee, said: “This is a momentous day for Frome. I am absolutely delighted that what feels like a historic decision has been reached. The journey has been a long one for Mayday Saxonvale, but we are now one step closer to a development at Saxonvale that meets the needs of the people of Frome. Frome Town Council has been steadfast in its support of this project, and I am particularly pleased to see Somerset Council making this important decision right here at Frome Town Hall. We will of course continue to work with Mayday through the planning process.
“Ultimately this demonstrates exactly what local government should be – responsive, forward-thinking, and rooted in the communities it serves. Today marks a crucial step forward for Frome, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Cllr Fiona Barrows, speaking to BBC Somerset’s Charlie Palmer, said “Saxonvale is such an important site for Frome; our last opportunity to get a real extension of the town centre, for us to be a thriving town in the future. We want something exciting and innovative and to be in charge of that, so the fact that it’s a community-led development, that it will be led by people in this town who live and work here, who really understand this town and will put the needs of our community first is just incredibly exciting and it’s why I’m so supportive of it.”
Read the press release from Somerset Council.
Find out more about Mayday Saxonvale at https://maydaysaxonvale.co.uk/.
