Frome Town Council’s leader Fiona Barrow’s has expressed her disappointment following Somerset Council’s decision today to proceed with the sale of Saxonvale to Newcore Strategic Situations V1 ltd, ending Mayday Saxonvale’s bid for ownership of the site. In the meeting Fiona had expressed concerns about the process and the decision to sell the site unconditionally, but Frome Town council’s focus will now turn to working constructively with Somerset Council planning department and the successful bidder to ensure Frome’s voice remains central to what happens next.
Leader and Chair of Frome Town Council Fiona Barrows said: “Firstly, I want to thank Cllr Bill Revans and the Somerset Council Executive for coming to Frome today to make this decision.
We cannot say that we not disappointed by this decision, and we remain deeply concerned about the process that has led to it. As I set out at the meeting, those concerns include the limited transparency around the process, the extent to which the bidders’ actual proposals for Saxonvale have been considered, and the decision to proceed with an unconditional sale.
Saxonvale is simply too important to Frome to be treated as an ordinary land disposal. It is our town’s last major brownfield site and represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen the town centre, create jobs and businesses, and shape the future of Frome.
I want to recognise the huge amount of effort that people across Frome have put into making their voices heard and articulating their hopes and ambitions for this site. I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to get involved and speak up. It has been clear throughout just how much Saxonvale matters to Frome, and I’m incredibly proud of how hard our community has fought.
However, the decision has now been made, and our focus must be on what happens next.
We have always said that Frome Town Council will work constructively with whoever ultimately acquires Saxonvale, and we will do so. But we will expect any developer to take seriously the needs and ambitions of our town alongside their own commercial interests, and to engage meaningfully with Frome Town Council, local residents, businesses and community organisations.
We will now be reaching out to both the successful bidder and Somerset Council to establish how we can work together to secure the best possible outcome for Frome.
We will do everything in our power to make the best of the situation and to ensure that Frome’s voice is heard as the proposals for Saxonvale move forward.”
Frome Town Council will now seek early discussions with Somerset Council and the preferred bidder about the next stages for Saxonvale.
