‘e want to see affordable housing and community facilities that are owned by local people forever’
Daniel Mumby, Local Democracy Reporter
06:00, 03 Jan 2026
The new Mayday Saxonvale board of directors. From left, Caroline Wajsblum, Brigid Clarke, Peter McGuinness, Anita Collier, Kerry Smith, Paul Oster, Ross Hughes, Hannah Stopford and Damon Moore.(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
Frome residents can help to purchase the Saxonvale regeneration site under a new community share scheme.
Mayday Saxonvale has been seeking to implement its vision for the brownfield site in Frome town centre, which includes more than 260 homes, commercial space, a cultural centre and a lido.
Attempts to redevelop the site have been subject to numerous delays, with Somerset Council’s executive committee voting in late-October to put the land on the open market in the spring of 2026 after Mayday Saxonvale struggled to come up with the necessary funds to acquire it.
Mayday Saxonvale, backed by central government funding, has now launched a community share scheme, giving local residents a chance to part own the site when it officially goes up for sale.
The Mayday Saxonvale proposal includes the following elements:
- 263 homes, of which at least 30 per cent will be affordable (with a stretch target of 50 per cent)
- At least 10,000 sq m of commercial and community space, including an enterprise centre and a “community kitchen”
- A cultural centre within the ‘western warehouse’
- A riverside park and children’s play area
- Improved cycle links between the site and Vicarage Street
- The realignment of the A362 Garsdale roundabout and £246,000 towards improving the Gorehedge junction
- New public open spaces
- A hotel and spa
- A lido
- Nearly £828,000 for improving local schools
Following the council’s decision in October, Mayday Saxonvale has secured £1.2m from the Resonance community developers fund, which is backed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Aerial artist’s impression of the Mayday Saxonvale regeneration scheme in Frome(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
The accompanying community share offer, which will officially launch in late-January 2026, will allow local residents and supports to directly invest in the Saxonvale site through the newly-incorporated Mayday Saxonvale Community Benefit Society.
Each member of this benefit society can vote on the future direction of the project, with a minimum investment of £250 being required and each member receiving one vote regardless of the size of their investment.
These two funding streams should ensure that Mayday Saxonvale has sufficient liquid assets available when the council puts the site on the open market in early-2026.
Jon Rolls, head of developing communities at Resonance, said: “We support communities to own and develop assets in their local neighbourhoods, because we believe this helps communities to be more sustainable and resilient.
“We want to see affordable housing and community facilities that are owned by local people forever.
“We hope that the community gets behind this once-in-a-lifetime chance to steer the regeneration of Frome.”
Mayday Saxonvale submitted a further offer to the council in November, seeking a way forward which “protects public value and gives time for the community to raise the necessary funds”.
As part of this, Mayday Saxonvale asked for confirmation of how economic and social value would be weighted in assessing offers for the site – and has not received a response as of December 18.
Mayday Saxonvale chair Brigid Clarke said: “Saxonvale is Frome’s last major town centre site; it will shape its future for generations.
“We have worked tirelessly to save this site for our community and together we have already overcome many setbacks.
“Our previous funding arrangement didn’t offer the ability to provide community shares at this stage.
“Now the £1.2m funding secured via Resonance, backed by MHCLG, will support investment from community shares to enable our bid for the site – so this is where we need Frome’s help.
“This is an extremely exciting opportunity and we are inviting you, our community, to become co-owners of Saxonvale with us.
“Unless we act now, Saxonvale will be bought by a private, profit-led development in an open market sale and any profits will leave Frome, which is what we have all been fighting to avoid.”
Masterplan for the Mayday Saxonvale regeneration scheme in Frome(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
For further details of the community share offer, or to formally register your interest, visit www.maydaysaxonvale.co.uk.
Ms Clarke added: “Mayday’s community share offer will help ensure we keep value here within our town and our community.
“We have one chance to buy this land and protect this place we all call home.
“This is real, people-powered development and a once-in-a-generation chance to protect and shape the future of our town, our Saxonvale.”
Somerset Council has been approached for comment by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.