Spotlight on local housing – Building Social Homes, a moral and social responsibility

A column by Frome Area Community Land Trust

To live in a safe, secure home is a basic human right; we all need a decent, affordable place to call home – it’s the foundation for our lives.

A recognised route out of poverty is living in a social rented home. Social homes are deliberately more affordable than private rented homes and provide a more secure, long-term way for people to put down roots and be part of their community.

That’s why we need to do our bit in Frome to support plans for building more social homes.

The harsh reality for those needing a social home in Frome. (Data from Homefinder Somerset)

Right now, nine households from Frome are homeless and living in temporary accommodation.

• On 31st March 2025, there were 12,525 Somerset households registered on Homefinder.
• On 31st April, 844 households were waiting for a social home in Frome. Of these, 31 were Gold band and 159 were Silver. There were 79 households who had a local connection to Frome i.e. family connection, working in Frome, or children with education in Frome.
• In the year ending 31st March 2024, the average waiting time for a social home was 547 days.  One of the biggest needs was for a three-bedroom home and the average wait for these homes was 711 days.
• In the year ending 31st March 2024 only 180 homes were let in East Somerset (Frome, Shepton Mallet and surrounding villages).

We are told there are brownfield sites, but here in Frome all brownfield sites have already been developed. We are told accommodation over shops is available, but this does not provide the homes most needed by families. By choosing to build more social homes, we’re helping to create a firm foundation for a thriving and healthy Frome community.

Currently the housing market is dominated by private developers. Their interest and motivation is not social benefit but financial benefit. They show little interest in building more social homes and affordable homes. They are not interested in getting lower returns, lower profit, or lower shareholder dividend.

Frome Area Community Land Trust (FACLT) believes there needs to be real change both nationally and locally that promotes housing development that truly benefits local communities. Increased government capital funding directed to housing associations enables the building of more social rented homes. The national CLT network is lobbying the government to increase funding to stimulate community-led development.

FACLT is in discussion with Somerset Council about using its land for the building of social rented homes by CLTs in partnership with housing associations.

FACLT seeks to address the housing crisis by providing much-needed social homes in Frome.

It is for all of us to meet our moral and social responsibility to help build strong, fair communities where there are homes for all.

On 22nd July, there will be a public meeting at Frome Town Hall about community-led development. The meeting will run from 7.30pm to 9pm.

John-Sebastian Clarke, chair Frome Area Community Land Trust