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1 IntroductionThis plan identifi es the land at Saxonvale recently acquired by Mendip District Council (MDC). MDC are also working with Frome Town Council who own the land outlined in blue. In November MDC endorsed the selection of Acorn Property Group to deliver the development of Saxonvale working with Nash Partnership. Acorn, Nash Partnership and the project team are now working to bring forward a residentially led mixed use proposal, with the aim of submitting a Planning Application in May 2019.

This exhibition has been prepared to outline some of the studies now underway and to invite views from the Frome community on some of the topical issues that need to be considered. We appreciate many of you will have been asked to contribute to other consultation exercises in the past, but it is always helpful to know that such views are current.

ACORN PROPERTY GROUPAcorn was fi rst established over 20 years ago with offi ces in London, Cornwall, Bristol, Cardiff and Hampshire, bringing forward residential and commercial developments.

Each are bespoke, designed to respond to a particular location and its users and to meet the needs of the local community. Acorn are used to working in partnership with landowners including Local Authorities, who are well placed to understand how developmental change can be positive for their areas of responsibility.

Current Acorn developments are approaching completion or underway at Hope House on the slopes of Lansdown in Bath, contemporary Cubis at Bruton, Brandon Yard on Bristol’s Harbourside and Brooks Dye Works, a former industrial site in Bristol's centre.

Development Surveyor, Amy Proctor is the Acorn Project Manager for the Saxonvale scheme.

NASH PARTNERSHIPUrban designers, planners and architects, Nash Partnership of Bath and Bristol have been appointed to handle the Saxonvale scheme for Acorn. Nash have 30 years of project experience in this region, much of it involving the reuse of historic former industrial sites. They managed the town centre riverside developments in Bradford on Avon, St Martin’s Hospital in Bath, Longfords Mill near Stroud and, at Midsomer Norton, redevelopment of the former Alcan factory site. Architect Edward Nash and Regeneration Planner, Mel Clinton are the project leads for Saxonvale at Nash Partnership.

Nash Partnership are working with a wider team of specialist consultants covering matters including transport, flood risk, contamination, heritage, ecology and trees.

SITE LOCATION PLAN

2 The AmbitionThe Frome community will know the Saxonvale site has had a long history of industrial use. This began with the Frome Silk and Crepe factory to the southwest, evidenced by the surviving Western

Warehouse of Notts Ltd. This was followed by other late 19th Century factories to the east of here before a succession of other factories in the latter half of the 20th Century. Those on the flat portion of the site were built following the diversion of the river to release land previously occupied by a large meander of the River Frome which once extended as far as the east/west portion of Garsdale. These buildings have fallen vacant over the last 20 years. Over this period several proposals for redevelopment, involving the whole or parts of the site, have been put forward and several tested as planning applications, but none have proceeded.

In planning terms, the ambitions of the Saxonvale and Garsdale areas were initially set by the 'Planning Brief for Saxonvale' (2005) and subsequently by 'A Neighbourhood Plan for Frome' (2008-2028). More recently, the Draft Local Plan Part II (2018) sets out proposed development requirements and design principles.

The last comprehensive proposal for the site in 2008 was resolved for approval subject to a legal agreement. In recent years, Frome Town Council have been active in initiating and encouraging more active interest in releasing the site's potential for the town. There has

FIRST EDITION OS PLAN

MODERN SAXONVALE

A key gateway - opportunity to blend with the historic fabric and enhance the setting of the Silk Mill. Make Saxonvale a strong pedestrian route to river connecting to all routes to east and west.

Potential for primary vehicle route via Garsdale to enable pedestrian and cycle integration with the town centre on Saxonvale.

Integrate development with the town centre – existing uses serviced from upper and lower ends of Saxonvale.

Café/restaurant opportunity linked to new park.

Largely level land in a location convenient for many and suitable for family homes.

Discreet car parking to create an environment for walking, cycling and play.

Use steep topography to create urban character and hide parking. Private terraces, generous balconies or roof gardens will serve these goals.

Opportunity for narrow one-way streets following the contours and ramped/stepped pedestrian routes linking to adjoining parts of the town.

Apartments and houses overlooking park/river with footpaths links from North to South.

The route from Vicarage Street provides an important connection to the town’s mobility networks and affords great views.

A great opportunity to enhance the existing riverside area, opening it up to sunlight, providing amenity and habitat. Assess trees and ecological value.

This industrial building is a reminder of the town’s history but creates a barrier to east-west movement. Test suitability for conversion and how it can best relate to the Silk Mill.

Steep topography and scope for hiding decked car parking.

Public car park spaces removed and replaced elsewhere on site.

Opportunity to bring main road around park land to car park.

Commercial space for retail, café/restaurant use and enterprise.

Transition from higher density character close to the existing town centre to more domestic scale in the east.

Stakeholder engagement will provide important inputs on need and potential.

Frome’s character now has been built from the

urban history. The design should look backwards and forwards.

Enabling more people to live, work and socialise in the town is a key objective and will be a key feature in shaping the emerging proposals.

Parking beside park to make useable by all.

Consider making link to Garsdale via road alongside the riverside park for deliveries.

A mixed and diverse development of homes, flexible commercial space, green space, and continuing character able to revitalise the existing town.

Create a diverse housing offer and space for enterprise, informed by evidence on need and viability assessment.

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Garsdale R

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Vicarage Street

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Public Space

F.T.C Land

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Existing Buildings

Former Silk Mill Building

New Buildings

Existing Trees

New Trees

Silk Mill Studios and Gallery*

*Outside development area - retained

NOTES:

First Stage Illustrative Masterplan.

KEY

SAXONVALE - FROMEVISION MASTERPLAN

THE NOVEMBER 2018 VISION MASTERPLAN

been a recent approval on appeal (2016) for housing on the steeper southern slopes and in 2015 the refusal on appeal of a retirement housing scheme fronting on to Garsdale. Mendip District Council, Frome Town Council and Frome Civic Society and many other stakeholders have long sought to see this site come forward to make a positive contribution to the economy, character, sustainability and social identity of Frome and each of the groups have identifi ed their aspirations for it, all of which share a lot of common ground.

This common aspirational framework was refl ected in the vision document central to the Mendip District Council/Acorn Property Group Agreement which sought to refl ect the main aspirations and expectations of the development. Although this came to be called The Masterplan it is more a statement of qualitative and quantitative intent. The work of building a Masterplan that will shape the Planning Application for the scheme is now underway and consultation events like this are part of this process, to which you are invited to respond.

3 What we have been doing?This site has an extensive planning history each bringing forward specialist reports, and the Acorn project team have had a lot to study. The future of this large site has understandably attracted a great amount of interest in a town that has a very strong awareness of its particular identity, a proud economic and cultural history and a present distinctiveness. New specialist reports have been commissioned to record essential baseline data such as for traffic and travel issues, flood risk, ecology, trees, air quality, employment, retail and housing needs and topographical and aerial surveys.

It will take several weeks more for all of these studies to be completed to help inform our work. Meanwhile we are preparing the Masterplan Principles which

will combine the ambition and aspirations many have contributed along with the physical and feasibility constraints, design, economic, social and cultural opportunities the site's context allows.

At this early stage it is helpful to capture on a single sheet the main factors that will constrain and inform the pattern of new land uses and the built form of new development. These will then be taken into account in our design work, set alongside the established national and local statutory planning policies relevant to this site. From this we can establish a set of principles against which the emerging design proposals can be tested. At this stage the Constraints and Opportunities plan contains a mixture of words and

diagrams. As this plan evolves there will be more drawings and less words.

This will continue until a scheme is crystallised, is consulted on again and is then progressed as a Planning Application. In this case we anticipate part of the Planning Application will be outline and part detailed, in what is known as a “hybrid planning application”. We invite you to list anything you think we might have missed under this Constraints and Opportunities heading in our research to date (you can record your comments on the copies of the constraints and opportunities plan on the tables or on the comments forms).

We would like you to help inform these principles to help us develop the Masterplan.

CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES PLAN

4 Our VisionWe and our project team fi nd it helpful to set the bar for our development work with a concise summary statement capturing the perceived ambition for any scheme, so for Saxonvale, drawing on the vision work previously undertaken, we have in mind;

A Role and Vision for SaxonvaleTo create a new neighbourhood that brings this largely closed-off area fully into the life of the town, helping to meet current and future needs and for the enjoyment of all, through:

■ Developing an attractive and characterful place through high quality and sensitive design.

■ Integrating with, supporting and adding to the town centre.

■ High quality streets and public spaces that better connect existing residential neighbourhoods to the town centre.

■ Providing a variety of uses, building types, spaces and facilities as a place to live, work, enjoy and experience.

■ Incorporating the natural environment and using resources in a sustainable way.

5 PrinciplesWe have reviewed comments and suggestions previously put forward to help develop a draft set of principles. These principles are proposed to provide the basis for the next stage which will involve designing the new neighbourhood for further consultation:

SAXONVALE – JOINING THE NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD WITH THE TOWN CENTREImprove Saxonvale for pedestrians and cyclists whilst enabling access and servicing. Garsdale as the principal access. Designed to promote and prioritise sustainable forms of movement.

SPACE FOR ENTERPRISE, SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITYProvide fl exible spaces closest to the town centre and to support the important role of Silk Mill Studios and Gallery, that can accommodate a range of activities as needs emerge and change.

HOMES FOR A VARIETY OF NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONSNew homes of quality in mixed types, sizes and tenures.

CREATING CHARACTER AND IDENTITYUsing the topography and creating a transition from the tight knit streets of the centre to the lower density residential areas. Reinforcing and enhancing the established heritage quarter around the Silk Mill Studios and Gallery. Using good quality materials and elements of contemporary design, informed by local character. Create new views. Sensitively retain and re-use the Western Warehouse.

STREETS AND SPACES FOR PEOPLEEmphasis on walking and cycling. A number of public spaces at different scales and all connected.

PARKING TO SUPPORT THE TOWN CENTRE AND AVOID CLUTTERED STREETSReplacement public parking, with a sensible level of provision for new uses, dual use of spaces out of hours, conceal private parking below buildings and in courtyards.

GREEN SPACE AND NATUREA riverside park, providing an amenity for the community and a valuable ecological habitat.

SUSTAINABLE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCESWell balanced living/working. Good insulation and air-tightness to minimise energy needs, Sustainable Urban Drainage/landscaping, potential renewable energy sources, re-use the Western Warehouse.

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6 Areas of Current Exploration

RELOCATION OF THE MERCHANTS BARTON PUBLIC CAR PARKING IN THE SCHEMEThis is an obligation but where should this best go in the site?

PRIMARY TRAFFIC ROUTESShould traffi c approach and/exit only via Garsdale roundabout? Should the lower Saxonvale area continue to be accessible from Church Street and Vicarage Street?

THE BALANCE OF LAND USESAs well as new homes the scheme is committed to creating a quantum of other land uses as part of a mixed neighbourhood for living, working and enjoying. Early discussions are suggesting a wide range of employment space amongst characterful and mixed and active streetscapes is the optimum goal, and that conventional high street type shopping activity is best housed in the parts of the town it already occupies. Frome is untypically a place of makers and we should be addressing the needs of such businesses in creating opportunities for them to sell their services and their wares in a stimulating location. Wellbeing might be improved by new leisure or ancillary facilities like childcare nurseries - what do you suggest?

THE NEW RIVERSIDE PARKWe know it is important to create new and improved pedestrian access routes to make access to this park easy for all town residents. But how should the park's entrance best connect with the town heart and what facilities should it seek to offer? Currently we are waiting for up to date fl ood risk analysis to guide our work in this area. We expect to create a new pedestrian/cycle crossing here. How should it be designed and maintained? For play or as a natural riverside meadow, or a combination of both?

THE ROLE OF SAXONVALE In recent decades Saxonvale has tended to cut off the development site from the historic narrow and largely pedestrian streets between it and the Market Place. Improving its quality as a pedestrian route whilst maintaining access for existing shops and businesses servicing seems desirable, so creating a more complete network of connecting streets residents and visitors can explore.

THE WESTERN WAREHOUSEThis large building beside the Old Silk Mill is a substantial presence on the site and evidences Frome's manufacturing legacy. It is capable of re-use and any of patterns of re-use are likely to dictate the masterplan layout considerably. What roles could this multi-storey building play in the future if it is retained?

PUBLIC SPACES In historic towns the location, origins and functionality of public open spaces is a major part of how they continue to work. The Saxonvale scheme needs new public spaces and a well considered public realm. What activities should the scheme seek to accommodate in the these public areas and why? Is something missing from Frome that a new public realm could bring?

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HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL FLOORSPACE NEEDS A LIFESTYLE OFFER Work is being done currently to inform us about these needs and the way this development could best address them. Common sense says the scheme should be designed to offer housing and amenities around it that work well for families, suit people wanting to work locally to where they live, consider the needs of small households and people not yet on the housing ladder and also think about the various needs of people above retirement age. In short; offering people an improved quality of life.

BUILDING TYPOLOGIES This site is varied in its topography with land that is fl at in some places and very steep in others. Much of it has potential to offer wide ranging views across the town. Accommodating roads, necessary car parking, convenient walking access, gardens and views are all design challenges. Here is an early 3D study we have done to explore such typologies, so we can understand how these can contribute to the urban grain of the scheme as its develops.

SUSTAINABILITYThis is an unusually large site, so close to a town centre which has lain largely unused for a very long time. Now it is moving forward again under Mendip District Council’s initiative, its design and operational use should be contributing to the sustainability of Frome. It should support those who want their lives to be less car dependant and to reduce their impact as consumers of food, resources, energy and boost well being. Designing buildings that have a low need to consume energy and diminish the use of non-renewable resources is part of this. Acorn favours a “fabric fi rst” approach to their buildings of above Building Regulations standard. Here we are also considering the options for renewable energy sources amongst many other things, including good provision for walking and cycling, natural drainage and habitat for wildlife.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE SENSIBLE STANDARD FOR CAR PARKING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT? Currently Somerset County Council standards treat Frome as having a more rural than urban model of car ownership and use assuming high levels of commuting, shopping and school journeys. This is different from the way Taunton, Yeovil and Bridgewater are treated, which have lower car parking standards. But this scheme could be built around a more integrated pattern of living and working - should it be encouraging this in the housing and other fl oorspace offers it brings forward?

IN TERMS OF ITS HISTORY Densifi cation and its varied current uses means the old Silk Mill is well placed to be a major infl uence on the design, ease of movement and way-fi nding, its facilities, activities and its overall character. Previous retail lead designs have tended to focus activity on the lower fl atter parts of the Saxonvale site. What aspects of Frome's future employment could be ground breaking for Saxonvale?

Areas of Current Exploration

8 Next StepsFrome is a special place and we are daily learning more about what makes it so. The future development of this unusually large site  will take several years. So close to the historic town centre it is important to get Saxonvale’s future contribution to Frome right, and building in fl exibility of use is a big part of this.

As the developers now responsible for taking Saxonvale forward  we are particularly interested in exploring how a market town of this size and development history can build the well balanced patterns of living, working and community life that can contribute to sustainable urban living in the decades ahead.

So much housing built  in the UK has delivered only uniform suburban living models. It has ignored diversity in housing need , and household size and sound living and working patterns. Frome is seeking to follow a different path, more responsive to the needs of people and the environment. Also, although Saxonvale will be an extension of the historic town centre, it has an unusually good proximity to the green infrastructure of the Frome valley  and the open countryside beyond, an important asset for residents and for wildlife. Here we hope to offer existing and future households new, well considered ways of living, working and sharing in the good things about Frome.

We would like to ensure we have fully understood what, for visitors to this exhibition, makes Frome special, along with what you perceive to be the challenges, risks and the opportunities ahead. On comment forms we have listed some questions we would welcome your responses to. There is also space for you to record other points you would like to make. In addition we have large copies of the constraints and opportunities plan which you can use to record views and suggestions on post-it notes.

CONTACT DETAILSWe will record and consider all comments made and and also make them available to Mendip District Council as part of the future planning application in due course.

You can put completed forms in the Comment Box.

If you prefer to respond away from this exhibition you can send comments using

details below:

■ By post to Nash Partnership, 23a Sydney Buildings, Bathwick, Bath BA2 6BZ,

marking your response Saxonvale Consultation January 2019.

■ The exhibition panels and comment form are also available on-line at

https://saxonvaleredevelopment.org/

■ By email to [email protected]

Many thanks for attending this ExhibitionAcorn Development Group Project Team