Mayday supporters in Saxonvale. Credit: Garfield Austin / Fabulous Frome.
Uniting a community to say “yes” to development – sparking a new model of people-powered regeneration for towns everywhere to take back control.
The Campaign
Mayday Saxonvale, a not-for-profit social enterprise, united the community of Frome to take back control of its future. The #OurTown #OurSaxonvale campaign objective was to reclaim Frome’s last major brownfield site, Saxonvale, for the community. Born in opposition to a profit-driven development that failed to meet local needs, Mayday Saxonvale proposed a visionary alternative – an urban regeneration plan that puts community ownership and long-term benefit at its core. Mayday Saxonvale didn’t just oppose, it offered a better plan, and built a movement that made it impossible to ignore.
Partnering with socially responsible developers and engaging directly with residents, the campaign built unprecedented support by encouraging the community to dream big and do things differently. The campaign used film, street teams, public demonstrations, and heartfelt community engagement to build momentum and pressure decision-makers. From human chains and dawn choruses to powerful social media storytelling, the people of Frome united to say “yes” to development, but on their own terms.
Over 200 singers gather at dawn on May Day to sing in the spring on the Saxonvale site (Mayday Dawning). Credit: Tamara Stubbs.
We’re thrilled to be shortlisted, it’s not just recognition for our campaign, but for our whole community that dared to believe in doing things differently. It shows that when towns unite around a shared vision, they can take back control and shape their future on their own terms. This is proof that real, lasting change is possible.”
Holly Lawton
Communications Director
The Change
The campaign turned protest into progress by offering a viable, community-led alternative to a flawed, profit-driven plan. Mayday Saxonvale gained unprecedented support, with their outline planning application gaining over 1,000 letters of support, a rare feat in UK planning. With thousands of registered supporters, the town showed up in their hundreds, in person and online, to back Mayday Saxonvale at council decision meetings and events. This was more than opposition; it was ownership.
The private developer withdrew under sustained public pressure, allowing Mayday to begin finalising the land purchase. Their plan will deliver 263 homes, at least 30% affordable, over 11,000 square metres of employment space, and a suite of community-owned assets: a lido, performance space, boutique hotel, community kitchen, and public squares. The scheme is expected to create over 600 jobs and bring £10 million into the local economy.
Beyond the numbers, the campaign has sparked a deep shift in local power and pride. Residents now believe their voices matter. Local democracy was energised. National media coverage, from The Guardian to BBC News—put the spotlight on this unique, hopeful fight for a better future.
The Future
Saxonvale will become the UK’s largest community-led regeneration project in the UK, proof that development doesn’t have to mean displacement or disempowerment. Mayday’s model offers a replicable blueprint for towns across the UK, one that’s lower risk, better for local economies, and designed around real needs.
Mayday Saxonvale’s legacy goes beyond Frome. It’s a movement, and a message, that communities everywhere can stand up, take ownership, and build a future on their own terms.
Who else was involved?
The community of Frome, Frome Area Community Land Trust (FACLT), Kiss House, Jonny Buckland, Simon Brown, Macegreen, Urquhart & Hunt, Catherine Woolfitt, Ruddlesden Geotechnical, WCI, The Landmark Practice, Trace Design, Devon Tree Services, Freddie Rostand, Frome Town and Somerset councillors, Stories, Studio Saar, Andrew Kirby, Landstory, Garfield Austin, Damon Moore, Paul Oster, Kate Moore, Holly Lawton, and all 2599+ supporters.
