A CAMPAIGN to save a local green space from a district council plan to build houses on it has been launched by a group of residents.
Easthill, a field which adjoins the cemetery and railway, was one of five council-owned sites across Frome, Glastonbury and Street, that was selected by Mendip District Council to provide up to 160 ‘much-needed’ affordable houses.
The Easthill site has been earmarked for up to 77 homes, whilst a second site, in the rear part of Frome’s North Parade car park, is being considered for a pilot scheme for between 12-17 highly sustainable, modular houses.
However, the district council’s plan for the Easthill site was “paused” following criticism from a number of local voices, including local campaign group ‘Friends of Easthill Field’, who believe the site should be protected as a space for wildlife.
The group also want to secure the site as an asset of community value, in an attempt to purchase the site and protect it from any future development.
The Mendip District Council cabinet voted to “pause” the plans for Easthill at a meeting in late November after the transparency of the social housing scheme was questioned by the council’s scrutiny board.
It was hoped that the plans for Easthill would be thrown out at a full council meeting last week – however, after a debate about whether it should be the full council or the cabinet who have the final say, it was decided that the district council’s chief executive would work with the leaders of the Greens, Conservatives and Lib Dems to arrive at a position that will be brought to the next full council meeting, next Monday, 14th December.
Friends of Easthill Field is urging the community to contact their local district councillor and cabinet members before the meeting to voice any opposition they might have.
The Easthill plans also came under fire from local organisation Fair Housing for Frome, and Mendip District Council’s Conservative’s group of district councillors, about the lack of public consultation and its decision to build on the Easthill greenfield site.
Clr Eve Berry from Frome’s Berkley Down ward said, “It is simply ridiculous to be developing this land. There has been no consultation with local communities and no understanding of the destruction that would be caused to the wildlife and habitats at this site.”
Fair Housing for Frome said, “At Easthill, we are also concerned with the choice of a greenfield site in preference to including additional social housing within one of the brownfield sites that are available for development, and in particular, do not support the creation of a dedicated social housing community.
“Our view is that social housing should always be provided as an integrated element of any and all new developments, such as Saxonvale, where there is ample opportunity to provide additional social housing.”
The Easthill site was one of four sites to be transferred to housing association, Aster Housing Group, to build affordable and social rent homes, subject to planning permission.
The decision to transfer the sites to Aster Housing Group has also raised questions, with Fair Housing for Frome asking why there wasn’t more public consultation.
They said, “Fair Housing for Frome is generally supportive of anything that addresses the need for additional social housing, but regrets the lack of public consultation in these proposals.
“There are many better ways to provide affordable housing for Frome, and in particular the decision to perpetuate Mendip’s reliance on Aster as a social housing service provider is disappointing, given the opportunity to work closely with Frome Area Community Land Trust (FACLT) to deliver truly affordable housing in perpetuity.”
Cllr Berry also said, “Why can’t they just agree not to develop the land at Easthill and also to review the other sites and to look at other potential development companies, not just Aster, thereby ensuring that everything has been considered with regards ‘best value’ for Mendip residents and that the proper procedures have been followed to achieve this in a transparent manner?”
Fair Housing for Frome has also called for more information about the plans for the scheme’s fifth site, at the rear part of Frome’s North Parade car park.
They said, “Further information about the suggested modular housing scheme at North Parade car park is needed to ensure that this will really meet the requirements of local people in a well-designed and sustainable way. Frome has vibrant Self Build and Tiny Homes groups and we would expect them to be included in future consultations about this or other such opportunities.”