A cherished green space on the edge of a Somerset town could still be turned into housing – despite recent efforts to legally protect its status, writes Daniel Mumby, Local Democracy Reporter.

Packsaddle Fields, which lies on Frome’s northern edge, has been owned by Somerset County Council since 1973 and was originally earmarked for a new school.

The council announced in March 2022 that it was selling the land off, entering into an agreement with housing association LiveWest to deliver up to 90 new homes on the fields north of Packsaddle Way.

Mendip District Council formally designated the green space an asset of community value in January following an enthusiastic campaign by the pressure group People for Packsaddle (PfP).

But LiveWest has now teased proposals to develop the site after all, asking for the public’s feedback on its plans for 74 homes before a formal planning application is submitted later in the year.

In addition to the lower-than-anticipated number of homes, LiveWest – which is based in Exeter – is proposing to create a home for children with disabilities, which will be run by the county council’s partner Homes2Inspire as part of a push to deliver ten new such homes by 2030.

Just over one-third (36 per cent) of the site will be retained as green space, with a community orchard and play area being provided and the existing public rights of way through the site being maintained.

A spokesman for LiveWest said: “All new developments are required to provide a certain number of affordable homes.

“These will be a mix of rent, shared ownership (where the residents own a percentage of the home themselves) and first homes,which are available to first time buyers.

“There will be a mix of dwelling types and sizes, ranging from two-bedroom homes to four-bedroom homes.”

PfP spokesman Toby Culff said there was “no excuse” for ignoring the strength of feeling in Frome.

He said: “When they entered into their agreement last year, perhaps LiveWest and the county council did not fully appreciate the value of Packsaddle Fields to this community. Well, there’s no excuse now.

“Packsaddle Fields is an asset of community value and a registered green space, and its importance to the community has been definitively proven and officially recognised.

“The decision to persist with these plans shows a contemptible disregard for the community.

“We urge residents to stand together in resistance, and councillors to be brave and stand with them. We urge LiveWest and the council to reconsider: it’s not too late to change course.”

More than 100 Frome residents provided testimonies before the district council’s asset of community value panel met to discuss the issue in Shepton Mallet on January 31.

PfP’s campaign to protect the fields has also received the support of Frome mayor Sara Butler and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE).

PfP member Janet Hague, said “The developers and county council know full well that Packsaddle Fields has these special designations, yet they seem determined to build over it.

“We are also sceptical about the inclusion of the residential care facility in the plans, given the repeated failure of developers to deliver on such proposals, and the lack of prior notice, detail and any transparent needs assessment.”

A formal planning application will be submitted to the new unitary Somerset Council later in the year. To take part in the LiveWest consultation, visit www.live westpacksaddle.co.uk.