A Mendip District Council pledge to bring prosperity and jobs to Frome through the Saxonvale development in Somerset, is paying off.

Five Frome residents have just been recruited to work at the project, which is located in the heart of the town on the banks of the River Frome.

Just days after the Council signed a delivery agreement with Balfour Beatty to begin a schedule of works to transform the once-derelict site, the contractors have taken on two gate people, a general operative, a cleaner and vehicle marshal – all from Frome.

Balfour Beatty have operational control of the heritage site, which is closed to the public due to strict safety measures. They are currently removing hazardous materials, disconnecting services to buildings, clearing vegetation and demolishing dangerous concrete structures.

Ryan Anderson, Balfour Beatty Project Manager, said: "At Balfour Beatty, we are committed to leaving a lasting, positive legacy in the communities in which we operate. That is why we have set a target that 75% of our employees, will be local to Frome.

"With all five of our new recruits local to the area, we are now looking forward to building this momentum as we continue to invest in talent and provide numerous local employment opportunities over the duration of the project."

Leader of Mendip District Council, Cllr Ros Wyke, said: "We always knew that in addition to much-needed housing and commercial space, the development would bring jobs, new skills and future opportunities locally. It's heartening to see things getting off to such a great start, with five posts filled by Frome residents already.

"The Council is confident that the Saxonvale development is good news for our post-Covid economy, for those seeking a new home or business outlet, for the environment, and importantly, for those seeking the security of employment in their home town."

Saxonvale was granted outline planning permission in January 2021. Regeneration specialists, Acorn Property Group, are the appointed developers. But it's Balfour Beatty who currently occupy the site, clearing the area ready for construction.

And there's lots going on... Local residents and businesses neighbouring Saxonvale can keep up with the project's progress through two public noticeboards recently installed at the site entrance points. The noticeboards display work schedules, news items, site manager contacts, and essential safety messaging. A local, sustainable, not-for-profit company, Somerset Wood Recycling, were commissioned to upcycled the oak noticeboards and repurposed them, ready for their all-important communications role.