Frome Easthill: Plans for social housing halted after campaign

Campaigner said Easthill in Frome was an important wildlife haven

A green space has been temporarily saved from being developed after a long-running campaign by residents.

Mendip District Council planned to build 77 homes on the Easthill site in Frome.

Work was paused in November after a backlash from residents who wanted to preserve it for the whole community.

After a cabinet vote on Wednesday the land was withdrawn from the social housing programme but could still be used as a cemetery in the future.

'Important wildlife'

Member of Friends of Easthill Field, Bharati Phardy addressed the council, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

She said: "Every bit of green in the town is a welcome sight - a place to play, to engage with nature, which also hosts important wildlife.

"We truly believe that now is the time to make bold decisions for nature, and to find truly creative, community-based, well-informed solutions to the needs of vulnerable groups who really need homes."

The land could still be used as an extension of the neighbouring graveyard

Green Party councillor Helen Kay supported the decision, but raised concerns about social housing being delivered on other green spaces in Frome.

Council leader Ros Wyke promised that different options would be considered by the council's scrutiny board in the coming months.

"The cost of any land or houses in Frome is significant, and there is a significant growth in need, and we are trying to respond to that," she added.

Green Party councillor Michael Dunk added that any new unitary authority could overrule the decision to protect this land.

"We need to look into how we can secure the future of that site in the long term, so it can only be used either as a burial site or a nature reserve, or something similar which keeps it intact," he said.

"If we don't safeguard it now, we will be culpable in the future."