Decision due on town centre regeneration site

The 12-acre site is currently sealed off to the public, but has road access leading into it from Garsdale and Saxonvale

A major regeneration site in Somerset is due to be sold today.

The preferred bidder for the Saxonvale site in Frome will be decided by Somerset Council on Wednesday - with the successful bidder entering into contract negotiations.

The two competitors, social enterprise Mayday Saxonvale and Bristol-based Acorn Property Group, both put bids in for the site in May.

The council is selling the land in a bid to help balance its budget, after declaring a "financial emergency" in November 2023.

The Saxonvale site lies in Frome town centre, bordered by the River Frome, Merchant’s Barton car park, existing properties on Vicarage Street and Lidl

In 2018, Saxonvale was purchased by Mendip District Council, and is allocated within the Mendip Local Plan Part II to deliver a minimum of 250 homes along with commercial space and additional town centre car parking, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Acorn had previously secured outline planning permission to build up to 300 homes on the site, along with commercial space and a cultural venue within the ‘western warehouse’.

However, Acorn had to revise its bid after the permission was quashed by the High Court in October 2023, following a successful judicial review by Mayday Saxonvale.

Its revised bid will now offer 300 homes, of which 160 will be affordable – in excess of the 72 it had originally promised.

A spokesperson for Acorn said: “We are acutely aware of the need for the town to have genuinely affordable homes designed and built with sustainability at the forefront, we will work alongside Frome College to enable apprenticeships with our contractors, creating local employment and opportunities."

The Mayday Saxonvale bid will deliver 263 homes, of which at least 30 per cent will be affordable - with a target of 50 per cent.

Mayday Saxonvale director, Paul Oster, said: “Bringing our local community land trust into our proposal for Saxonvale will solidify our commitments to putting Frome first, and provide additional security over the community ownership of the site."

The council's executive committee will meet at Frome Town Hall to discuss both bids from 14:00 BST.