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Press release / How big? Saxonvale campaign group to size up development

Campaigners against the proposed new supermarket in Frome are planning a public demonstration of its actual size

The organisers of the recent Saxonvale meetings held in the Cheese and Grain are encouraging people to join them on Sunday 27th February in Victoria Park.   Using people and materials available, the group will map out the true scale of the development planned for the town’s centre – 40,000 square feet.

The campaigners hope to organise aerial photography of the event, to show just how big the new supermarket would be.

The development planned by St James Investments also includes a further 40,000 square feet of retail space, plus a significant area dedicated for car parking.

“We feel there’s widespread confusion over the scale of development planned for the Saxonvale site” commented one of the organisers, Duncan Skene.  “There’s concern that most residents, whether for or against the supermarket, don’t appreciate the actual size of the proposed building.”

He continued:

“We have realised that the language and measurements used by the developers and planners isn’t always clear.   Sometimes they talk in square feet; others in square metres.   As a rough conversion used by professionals in this field – one square metre equals ten square feet.”

The ‘HOW BIG?’ demonstration will take place from 3pm in Frome’s Victoria Park at 3pm on Sunday 27th February.   The group will meet by the bandstand and encourages everyone to join in, regardless of their views about the redevelopment of Saxonvale.

Together with all of those who turn up and want to get involved, the organisers plan to show what 40,000 square foot (4,000 square metres) looks like on the ground.

“We want this to be a fun event, so the more the merrier – all ages welcome.”

Following the recent public meetings and online debates, a consensus is developing that a smaller supermarket, as part of a mixed housing, employment and retail development would fit best with the existing Mendip District Council Development Brief for Saxonvale.

For updates and more information on the plans for redevelopment site in the centre of Frome, visit http://saxonvalesupermarket.blogspot.com, join the No more big supermarkets in Frome group on Facebook, or follow @keepfromelocal on Twitter.