Mayday Saxonvale has been working since 2019 to facilitate an alternative, community led masterplan for the town centre of Frome. The campaign aimed to bring the site forward in a way that delivers on local needs, seeded from an appreciation and investigation into the history of the site. Through a genuine open and inclusive public consultation and stakeholder process, a development proposal that is by the community, for the community, in perpetuity has been created. Local economies are dynamic systems that can foster wellbeing, creativity, and a sense of belonging. As well as building houses, the Mayday Saxonvale masterplan is about nurturing spaces that empower local businesses, create job opportunities, and reflect the community’s values and aspirations. The plan includes Bow Exchange, a bustling hub with flexible covered space for markets and events, Merchants’ Courtyard, a creative centre for cultural activities, Riverside Park a green space with a playground and a lido, and Linear Park, an ecological corridor connecting residential areas to the south of the market town.

Mayday Saxonvale was subsequently established as a not-for-profit social enterprise company in March 2021, with the sole objective of delivering a sustainable plan for Saxonvale governed by the needs, priorities, and aspirations of the town of Frome.