New plans for Frome
Much excitement in Frome over the possibility of action over Saxonvale. An old industrial area near the Frome River, the decayed buildings have been a bit of a blight on the town for many years. So much so that in a rare moment of unity, Mendip District Council and Frome Town Council have found common ground. In August MDC bought most of the site and appointed Acorn Property Group to draft up plans to redevelop a site that has seen at least 3 potential developments come and go over the last 20 years. Now Frome Town Council are close to agreeing to add their land in the area to the overall development scheme which will comprise some 11 acres.
Cllr Kate Bielby, Leader of Frome Town Council noted “Enabling a comprehensive regeneration of this important town centre site has been a longstanding ambition of the Town Council. From the moment we heard that Mendip had succeeded in their bid to acquire land at Saxonvale, we were keen to explore how the Town Council’s land could make a contribution. Talks have gone well and we are now working towards a disposal of our land as soon as possible.”
With developers and architects (Nash and Co) already appointed an outline vision for the site has been drawn up for public consultation. Acorn Property Group who are promoting and developing the scheme are inviting all to attend a public drop-in event at the Silk Mill Studios and Gallery in Frome to share their views on the future development of the Saxonvale site. The event will take place on Friday 11 January from 2pm-7pm and Saturday 12 January from 10am – 3pm.
The initial plans are for mixed use, but with the emphasis on housing close to the town centre with landscaping along the river front. There is clearly potential to make a lot more of the river bank and we await the detailed plans for this with interest.
