Local community group, People for Packsaddle, has published a ‘vision for the future’ of fields on the edge of Frome, which it is trying to protect from becoming a housing development.
The fields cover an eight-acre site on the northern boundary of Frome, known as a haven for wildlife, featuring tranquil open spaces, wild grassland and ancient hedgerows.
People for Packsaddle has been working together with the local community for over two years to protect the fields, after an announcement by Somerset Council that the authority intended to sell the land.
The group made an offer in July to Somerset Council to buy the land for £250,000 to bring it into community ownership, but has not received a response about the offer. Somerset Council says that a decision will be made about the future of the land on 5th November.
As part of their bid to protect the fields, the group has created a vision document with input from local residents and biodiversity enhancement specialists First Ecology.
‘A Brighter Future for Packsaddle Community Fields’ shows how, if the fields are brought into community ownership, they can contribute to Somerset Council’s own Climate Emergency Strategy, Pollinator Action Plan and other ecology benchmarks, while still bringing in a significant capital receipt for the council.
“We’ve worked together as a community to develop a creative and compelling concept for these magnificent fields, based on People for Packsaddle’s three core priorities: climate, conservation and community,” says Toby Culff, of People for Packsaddle.
“Our vision is of a community owned and managed urban green space, benefiting wildlife, enhancing biodiversity and continuing to provide local people with an essential connection to nature. We are incredibly excited by the positive potential for the future, proud of the energy and commitment the community has shown in working to protect these fields and amazed at the generosity of the pledges we’ve received to help buy the land, protecting it for future generations.”
Plans for the future include the planting of a mixed native woodland, the sensitive management of grassland to increase the diversity of pollinators and the creation of a pond to further enhance the biodiversity of the area.
Toby said, “Community involvement will be an important part of the future of the fields, from monitoring wildlife like the rare Greater Horseshoe Bat, which has been observed foraging the fields and getting involved in projects like dry stone wall reparation and laying and maintaining hedges.
“Sensitive natural seating areas will be installed, encouraging more people to come and be still and enjoy the tranquillity of the site.
“We have been encouraged by recent developments at Saxonvale, with developers Acorn recognising the strength of community cohesion and withdrawing from the process there.
“Our outline plans for the future of Packsaddle Community Fields have received an initial positive response from Frome Town Council. We are, however, disappointed that Somerset Council has not responded to our purchase offer made in July this year, but we look forward to constructive discussions with them once they have done the right thing and rejected this inappropriate, unsustainable and unwelcome proposal in our part of Frome.”
A Brighter Future for Packsaddle Community Fields is available to read in full on the People for Packsaddle website www.peopleforpacksaddle.org
