This is the empty space up at Edmund Park in Frome which scores of local parents hoped, and were led to believe, they claim, would eventually home a new school.

The housing development up the hill from Asda, is full of trampolines, a sign of young families living there and early marketing of the 450 home estate made it clear growing families were welcome.

Many of them say they were led to believe that the nice homes they bought would one day mean their children could walk, safely and easily to a local primary.

However the walk for those children and their parents and carers is today a lengthy, noisy and unkempt walk down the hill and across several roads to get to the nearest primary which also currently does not even host a nursery.

The problem is being addressed by Frome Town Council, who are working on proposals to put in a pedestrian bridge from the edge of the estate to a site, yet to be fully determined, behind Frome station.

But currently, and without a bus service up into Edmund because, Frome Nub News understands, because of the narrow hair pin bend into the houses, there is only a walk, or disappointingly a car journey,

Somerset County Council has confirmed that in spite of hopes, inflated only a few weeks ago when during a discussion about Selwood Garden Village, that a school WOULD be built, that is not the case.

Do they really need a school?

They told Nub News: "There is no immediate requirement for a new school in Frome. Where large developments are planned, SCC will seek to acquire land to ensure additional education places can be created if the demand dictates. When acquiring land SCC is careful not to make promises in terms of guaranteeing a new school. Although this is something which is looked at when new builds housing estates are developed, new school builds are based solely on need and not guaranteed in terms of the sale of a new property to a homeowner by a developer."

Several parents, who declined to be named in our report, have been in touch with Frome Nub News to say they were as good as promised a school - and bought their homes solely because of that promise.

And one councillor, said they understood that the developer was bound by the agreement to build a new school, which would replace Berkley School which is in a state of disrepair.

One of those campaigning for a school to be built says he fears that if a school is not put up any time soon, it will just mean MORE homes.

He explained : "There is a document called an Overage Deed, dated 2015, which allows the building of more houses, on the school site, if a school is not to be built - much to our dismay as we have 450 homes here already. Also, a concern to many residents, is that there is nothing on the site that exists for community use and it's only if a school is built that such facilities should become available. "

Just puff and promises broken ?

He dismissed the developers promises when the estate was marketed as nothing more than 'puff'.

The developer of Edmund Park in Frome, which was completed in 2017, was Persimmon, who wrote at the time homes were perfect for: " first-time buyers, those looking to downsize and growing families."

One grandparent of a young family who moved to the park two years ago, expressed frustration not just about the lack of school but the lack of information.

She told us : " So many promises about new schools when getting planning permission ... that doesn't materialise. With all the new houses being built in Frome it's pretty poor, as more houses will be built on the school site instead. I wonder what has happened to the money ?I And why has is so hard to find out about all of this? "