The future of the Saxonvale regeneration site, a pivotal brownfield area in Frome town centre, is set to be determined at a forthcoming public meeting of Somerset Council’s executive committee, a senior councillor has confirmed.
Among the contenders, Mayday Saxonvale has championed a vision for the site over several years, proposing a comprehensive development including more than 260 new homes, commercial spaces, a cultural centre, and a community lido. However, progress has faced delays, with the council voting in late October 2025 to market the land openly after Mayday Saxonvale struggled to secure the necessary funds for purchase.
The community-led organisation officially submitted its bid in mid-July and has since raised over £925,000 via its community share scheme, which remains open until the end of September.
Somerset Council has pledged that a final decision on the winning bid will be made by the executive committee during a meeting in Frome on Wednesday, 23 September.
Additionally, the council has earmarked approximately £1.8 million in reserves to address any costs resulting from a fire that occurred on the regeneration site in early July.
Brigid Clark, chair of Mayday Saxonvale Community Benefit Society, emphasised the importance of considering their bid fairly alongside those of conventional developers during the council’s executive meeting on 5 August.
She highlighted that over 3,000 individuals, alongside Frome Town Council and local businesses, have actively supported the campaign. “The community recognises the unique opportunity this site represents for meaningful town centre regeneration,” Clark said. “The benefits of the Mayday plan will deliver social and economic resilience for Frome that would otherwise be unattainable.”
Clark also noted that as a community-led entity, their funding structure differs from typical developers, aligning with recent government policies and accessing community-led development funds and grants. She requested assurance that council deliberations would reflect the long-term benefits this plan offers to both Frome and wider Somerset.
To complement the community shares, Mayday Saxonvale has secured a £1.2 million investment from the Resonance Community Developers Fund, supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets, confirmed that a total of eight bids, including Mayday Saxonvale’s, are under consideration. He reassured that all offers are being thoroughly and fairly assessed with support from independent advisors CBRE, with an ultimate recommendation expected at the executive committee’s September meeting held in Frome.
Councillor Rigby stated, “We have encouraged unconditional offers to maximise bidder flexibility and accelerate progress on this long-aspired site development. We are committed to fulfilling our best value responsibilities by evaluating both the financial merits and deliverability of each proposal.”
Residents of Frome still have the opportunity to invest in the community share scheme with contributions starting at £250 via www.maydaysaxonvale.co.uk. Should Mayday’s bid not be successful, investment applications will be refunded minus any processing fees.
Earlier in July, a significant fire broke out in the ‘western warehouse’ portion of Saxonvale, involving over 100 firefighters. Investigations by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have classified the fire as suspicious.
A report released prior to the executive meeting details that the council has transferred £1,770,000 from an unallocated contingency fund into a new reserve to cover potential expenses arising from the fire incident.
Chris Hall, executive director for community, place, and economy at Somerset Council, explained during the meeting, “At the time the contingency was made, the potential financial impact was unclear. Since then, extensive surveys-covering health and safety, asbestos and air quality, plus structural assessments-have been conducted.”
He added, “We anticipate that actual costs will be considerably lower than the contingency amount. The site is insured, although there is an insurance excess. Depending on the required repairs, we might utilise the contingency fund if necessary.”