Somerset Council has confirmed a public meeting to discuss the future of the Saxonvale brownfield site in Frome, a key regeneration project set to transform the area.
In January, the council agreed to sell the Saxonvale site to Mayday Saxonvale, a community-led group with ambitious plans to create much-needed affordable housing, commercial spaces, and new leisure facilities including a hotel, spa, lido, and a riverside park.
However, nearly nine months later, Mayday Saxonvale has encountered delays in finalizing the purchase due to difficulties securing finance from its initial funding partners. This setback has prompted the council to call a special executive committee meeting in Frome on October 24, where the project’s status and next steps—including the possibility of putting the site back on the open market—will be discussed.
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In response to the funding challenges, Mayday Saxonvale has established a new board of directors to steer the project’s next phase and develop an alternative funding strategy. The board features a mix of executive directors and community leaders, including Frome’s mayor Anita Collier, town council engagement lead Hannah Stopford, regeneration manager Ross Hughes from Stevenage Borough Council, and Caroline Wajsblum, director of Frome Field 2 Fork.
Brigid Clarke, an environmental design and project management consultant with extensive experience in community-led development, chairs the board.
Paul Oster, one of Mayday Saxonvale’s executive directors, remarked, “Establishing this non-executive board marks a milestone moment for Mayday. It strengthens our governance, demonstrates the breadth of professional and community expertise behind the project, and should give confidence to our investors and partners. Although we have encountered delays with initial funding, we are working intensively in a challenging investment market to secure an alternative strategy. The board will be central in guiding us through this process to deliver a development that Frome can be proud of.”
Ms. Clarke added, “Saxonvale represents an extraordinary opportunity for Frome, not only to provide affordable homes and workspaces but to do so in a genuinely community-led way. Our new board brings the experience and oversight needed to navigate current funding challenges and keep the project moving forward. We aim to create a development that reflects the creativity, ambition, and values of our town.”
The upcoming Somerset Council executive committee meeting will be held at Frome Town Hall at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 24. The agenda will be published online, and the meeting will be live-streamed via Microsoft Teams to ensure broad public access.