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00:00Good day, people of Somerset. It's Daniel Mumby, your local democracy reporter once again.
00:06I'm with you on the 1st of July here. It's a gloomy day in Froome, and you join me amongst all this chirping of crickets and various other insects
00:16in pack-saddle fields on the northern edge of Froome, just off the eponymous pack-saddle way.
00:23And over the next half hour or so, we're going to be walking from this green space right on the northern edge of Froome
00:28all the way down to the residential streets, past the cheese and grain, and ending up in the town centre to grab a cup of coffee.
00:37And as ever with our Facebook Lives, if you have any questions or comments as we go along the route,
00:41please feel free to drop me a comment, and I will answer any questions or feedback that you have as they come in to the best of my ability.
00:50So we are here on the northern edge of Froome today because this green space that we're strolling through at the moment on the public rights-of-way
00:58could soon cease to exist. The Housing Association Live West is applying to build 74 homes and a children's home on this green space,
01:10one of the last protected green areas on the northern edge of Froome, just before you get out into the villages between here and Bath.
01:17And there is a very lively and passionate campaign going on, organised by the People for Pack Saddle,
01:26designed to protect this land in perpetuity.
01:29As you can see, it's largely unspoilt at the moment.
01:33You can probably hear all the chirping and chirping in the background.
01:36There's a fair few birds around this morning.
01:39This is a real wildlife haven and also a very popular location with dog walkers.
01:44So what we're going to do on our Facebook Live today is we're going to imagine what it would be like
01:52if we were someone who had moved into one of the new properties planned for this site
01:57and we wanted to get to the town centre without using a car.
02:02We're going to be sticking to the current footpaths and cyclepaths.
02:06We're at the top of Froome, so we're on one of the hillier parts,
02:10and we're going to walk down crossing the river as we go and just show you how accessible or otherwise the site is.
02:19And hopefully you'll get a good idea of the relationship between this site and the town centre.
02:28This site, of course, is not alone in being singled out for development.
02:32There is all manner of housing growth going on at the southern edge of Froome at the moment
02:37as we move through this kissing gate.
02:41And you can just see as we go through,
02:44the people for Paxaddle have put various notices up,
02:49asking people to write in to the Somerset Council website with their objections.
02:53You've got up until the 4th of July, that's this coming Tuesday,
02:57to have your say on the matter.
02:58And we will put the planning reference number in the comments section at the end of our stream.
03:03So like I say, we've got the possible development up here.
03:06Construction is currently underway on the Keeford Meadows site off Sandys Hill Lane,
03:11with 198 homes being proposed for that neck of the woods.
03:16We also have the prospect of more than 200 others either side of the B309 to the mount
03:23as we cross over Paxaddleway and get our first view down into the town.
03:28And, of course, looming in the background behind all of this
03:32is the prospect of another 1,700 with the creation of the Selwood Garden Community.
03:38That doesn't have planning permission yet.
03:40It's still very much at the consultation phase.
03:42But it could well be that in a matter of years,
03:46Froome could extend all the way from its current boundary up to the A361
03:52with barely a scrap of green space in the middle of it.
03:55And considering how much the people of Froome care about their environment
03:59and their green spaces, quite laudably, of course,
04:02methinks there'll be many people who would oppose that in their droves.
04:07But let me know in the comments section what your views on the matter are.
04:11As we take our first little turning off Paxaddleway,
04:15you can see the pavement's not in the best of conditions.
04:17It's fine for someone like me who's relatively able-bodied
04:21as we, again, look over this parapet down into the town centre.
04:25But if you were on a mobility scooter or had a wheelchair or used sticks,
04:29you'd have to have your wits about you.
04:33The Summit Council, of course, is now responsible for
04:35the maintenance of all footpaths and cyclepaths and roads across the county.
04:40So if you have deteriorated surfaces like this in your area,
04:45I urge you to report it to their highways department.
04:48They seem to be relatively proactive in getting them fixed.
04:50So it's not a waste of your time by any stretch of the imagination.
04:55So whilst we are walking down the hill,
04:58let me give you some more information about what Live West
05:01is planning to put on the Paxaddlefields site.
05:06A bit of background, first of all.
05:08The green space in question was, until very recently, council-owned.
05:13It was acquired by the council in 1973,
05:17back when it was a good old Semiswick County Council.
05:20And under the original proposals in their local plans
05:23and strategies for the county,
05:25they imagined that there would be a need for a new primary school there.
05:28That obviously hasn't materialised.
05:31As we come out onto Park Hill Drive,
05:34if you can see, a reasonably quiet residential area.
05:38And they announced back in March 2022,
05:42just before we went into the perda period of the local elections,
05:46that they were going to be selling the land off.
05:49And they had entered into a legal agreement with Live West
05:51to build up to 90 homes on the site.
05:54Now that's obviously been downgraded slightly.
05:56And the inclusion of the children's home
05:59at the south-western corner of the site
06:02probably had a fair bit to do with that.
06:05Semiswick Council is trying to construct a number of
06:07small children's homes across the county
06:10to allow young people with special needs
06:13to stay as close to their local communities
06:16and their families as possible.
06:17Let this car go past as we slowly amble downhill.
06:22It's not too steep here,
06:23but there is a bit of a gradient
06:24both in front of us and tapering down to the side.
06:28So again, if you're not able-bodied,
06:30you have to be a little careful,
06:31but it's not too severe at the moment.
06:36Now, Mendit District Council,
06:39to throw a bit of a spanner in the works,
06:40designated Park Saddlefields as an asset of community value
06:44back in January 2022,
06:46which means that before any developer
06:48can start constructing houses
06:51or anything else on the site, for that matter,
06:54the community has a limited amount of time.
06:57I believe it's either six or 12 months
06:58to come together and put a proposal together
07:01to buy the land and use it outright.
07:04You may remember from a few years ago,
07:06there was a brouhaha about the loss of Eastfield
07:10on the, funnily enough, the eastern bit of Froome.
07:13Where there were plans for, I think,
07:1762 homes near the cemetery
07:20and that site was designated as a nature reserve
07:25or as planned as a nature reserve
07:26and the Housing Association in question
07:30withdrew their proposals
07:32after a considerable public outcry.
07:35So it is entirely possible,
07:37contrary to popular belief,
07:38to change a local authority's mind
07:40if you speak loudly enough
07:42or in sufficient number.
07:45If you've just joined me,
07:46it's Daniel Mumby here,
07:47your local democracy reporter.
07:48We're in the Welsh Mill area of Froome now.
07:51We started our journey
07:52from Packsaddle Way at the northern edge,
07:55this beautiful green space.
07:56We're now walking through
07:57the Welsh Mill part of the town,
08:01heading towards the town centre.
08:03We're talking about plans for 74 homes
08:05and a new children's home
08:07which could be going on that cherished green space.
08:12And it's relatively quiet for a Saturday.
08:14I was driving through the town centre
08:16on my way in from Chard,
08:19about an hour's drive,
08:20and there was a fairly bustling day
08:23so we should expect to run into a few more people
08:25as we get closer to the river
08:27and we will endeavour to ensure
08:31that we don't disturb anyone
08:33over the course of their day
08:35because the footpaths don't just belong to us.
08:39So we're now coming down
08:40to the bottom of Park Hill Way,
08:43I believe it's called,
08:44and we've just got a little junction
08:46to negotiate where these parked cars are
08:48just up ahead.
08:50And from that,
08:51we can pick up a footpath past the allotments
08:53which will lead all the way to the cheese and grain
08:56and then on over the river
08:58past the Jensen Button Bridge
09:00into the town centre.
09:02You can just glimpse
09:04the children's play area in front of us.
09:07Obviously, we're not going to get too close to that
09:09for all manner of safeguarding reasons,
09:11but it's nice to see people out and about
09:14enjoying their local amenities.
09:16I'm just going to quickly cross over here.
09:20Like I say,
09:20it's a little bit of a difficult junction
09:23with no pedestrian crossing
09:25and, again,
09:28people for Pack Saddle
09:29have been out in force with their placards
09:31campaigning for people
09:32to write in to Somerset Council
09:34demanding that the plans from Live West
09:37be refused.
09:39We don't have a breakdown
09:40off the top of our head
09:41of how many of the planned homes
09:43from Live West
09:44will be affordable or low cost.
09:46We imagine a significant proportion
09:48because they are a housing association after all,
09:50but we will get that for you
09:52when we run a full article on this matter,
09:56which will be either
09:57Monday or Tuesday next week.
10:00So we're just passing the
10:01play area opposite Vine Gardens,
10:04again, making sure that we don't
10:05get run over in the process.
10:08Always try and be very careful
10:09with these kinds of things.
10:10and now
10:12we have a slight dilemma.
10:15I just need to consult the map
10:17on my other phone
10:17as to which of these two paths we take
10:20because it seems
10:21that you can walk either side of the river.
10:26Spoilt for choice
10:27when it comes to
10:28footpaths and cyclepaths in Froome.
10:31You may remember the walk
10:32that we did a couple of months ago
10:33looking at Rodden Meadow
10:35and seeing
10:37just
10:39how picturesque that area is.
10:42That was on a walk
10:43to the Saxonville side.
10:44And we're going to take a path
10:45or left as we quickly cross.
10:51Aside from a little bit of debris there,
10:54the weir is in excellent condition
10:55and the river
10:57looks pretty clear.
11:01Past the Welsh Mill Sluce.
11:03Again, just
11:06keeping the player out of shot
11:07so that we don't
11:08inconvenience any parents
11:10or children.
11:12If you've only just joined us,
11:13it's Daniel Mumby here,
11:14your local democracy reporter.
11:16We have
11:17started our walk today
11:18from Pack Saddle Fields
11:20at the northern edge of Froome
11:22where Live West
11:23has plans to build
11:2474 homes
11:25in a children's home.
11:26Plans that are
11:27currently being consulted upon
11:29and we'll probably get
11:29a final decision
11:30from Somerset Council
11:32later in the year.
11:34But we are now
11:35doing a little experiment
11:37to see how easy it is
11:38to get from
11:39that proposed housing development
11:41into the town centre
11:42without using a car.
11:44And so far
11:45we've negotiated
11:46some rather narrow
11:48footways
11:50between the housing estates.
11:52We've dealt with
11:53unmarked crossings
11:55over those residential roads
11:56with parked cars
11:57which affect visibility.
11:59Fortunately,
12:00things have now
12:00flattened and widened out
12:02as we move along
12:04the River Froome.
12:06We're heading towards
12:07the cheese and grain
12:08and you can see
12:09things are starting
12:10to get a little bit busier.
12:12People milling around
12:14doing some shopping,
12:15taking advantage
12:16of the weather.
12:18There was a bit of rain
12:19in and around
12:21Shepton Mallet
12:22as I was coming into Froome
12:23today
12:23and wonder
12:25how much of that
12:26will move over
12:28in this direction.
12:30Also wonder
12:30how much of it
12:31will end up
12:32at Lord's
12:33because we could
12:34really use overhead
12:35conditions like this
12:36if we're going to get
12:37rid of Australia early.
12:38And that is your
12:39one and only mention
12:40of cricket
12:40that you will get
12:42on this stream.
12:42I'm just going to
12:43quickly power past
12:44these two young gentlemen
12:45so we don't get
12:47in their way.
12:51There's a fair amount
12:52of work going on
12:53on the bridge
12:54in front of us
12:55but hopefully
12:57that won't inconvenience
13:00us too much
13:00and clearly there is
13:01still safe passage
13:03all the way through.
13:05As I said
13:12you really are
13:13spoiled for choice
13:15in Froome
13:15in terms of all
13:16the little highways
13:16and byways
13:17that are open
13:19to the public
13:19to explore
13:20and as with all
13:21of the Facebook lives
13:22that we've done
13:23this year
13:24everywhere I'm walking
13:26you can walk
13:27because it's either
13:30a footpath
13:31or a cyclepath.
13:32Just have to be careful
13:35that you don't get
13:36run over in the process.
13:38Not their fault.
13:39I do take up
13:40a lot of room.
13:42So we are now
13:43coming into
13:44the town centre.
13:45It has flattened
13:46out quite nicely
13:46as we go along
13:47the river.
13:48The cheese and grain
13:49is just on our left.
13:51Seminal
13:51venue
13:53for the town.
13:55I remember
13:55a few years ago
13:56when the Foo Fighters
13:57played a secret gig
13:58here
13:58ahead of their
13:59performance at Glastonbury.
14:02You can also see
14:04the Canoe Club
14:04with its base
14:06just behind us.
14:07The river is very still
14:08today
14:08and you can see
14:10I wonder what
14:11those were
14:12as we were walking up.
14:14I assume that is
14:14something to do
14:15with the Canoe Club
14:16the different barriers
14:18and gates
14:18where you have to
14:19row through them
14:20either downstream
14:21or upstream.
14:23I seem to remember
14:24coverage of that
14:25back in the Sydney
14:26Olympics in 2000
14:27which gives you
14:28some indication
14:29as to how old I am.
14:30So we are coming
14:32through the cheese
14:32and grain area
14:33through the different
14:34car parks
14:34the Jensen Button Bridge
14:36named after the
14:37Formula One Ace
14:38of course
14:38who lives in the
14:39Froome area
14:40we will be passing
14:42that shortly
14:42but we won't be
14:43crossing over it
14:44that's a
14:46little trip
14:47for another time
14:47methinks
14:48and hopefully
14:49you are getting
14:50a sense by now
14:50of the various
14:52challenges
14:53facing less
14:55able bodied people
14:56because we have
14:57to bear in mind
14:57although it is
14:58a bit of a stereotype
14:58that a lot of the
15:00people who will end
15:01up living in
15:02housing association
15:02properties will be
15:03those not just
15:05on lower incomes
15:05but those who may
15:06have issues
15:08with mobility
15:08which prevent them
15:09from living in
15:11more standard
15:12properties so to
15:13speak
15:13the ones that are
15:14built to market
15:16specification
15:16and accessibility
15:18needs to be
15:20an absolutely
15:22tantamount
15:23consideration
15:24so if you are
15:26moving into one
15:27of those future
15:28properties and you
15:29have a wheelchair
15:31or mobility
15:31scooter or other
15:32mobility issues
15:33as we pass the
15:35Jensen-Batton bridge
15:36and head round
15:38these are issues
15:40that need to be
15:40considered
15:41thank you very much
15:42very often
15:48planning decisions
15:51are often made
15:52with the interests
15:53of so-called
15:54normal able-bodied
15:55people in mind
15:56they don't take
15:57account of all
15:57of these
15:58considerations
15:58we're now heading
16:00towards the final
16:01section of our
16:02journey
16:02we're going to be
16:03crossing over this
16:04bridge
16:04past the lively
16:06market
16:06wonderful smell
16:08of Thai food
16:08in the air
16:09we go over the
16:11river
16:11towards the
16:12Westway shopping
16:13centre
16:13this bridge feels
16:18relatively stable
16:19and secure
16:19again the river
16:20being very still
16:21nothing to
16:24concern us
16:25too greatly
16:25it's starting to
16:27get rather busy
16:28so I'm just
16:29being a little
16:31furtive in terms
16:32of not
16:32inadvertently
16:34streaming too many
16:35children
16:35or anything like
16:36that
16:37so we will just
16:39nip down here
16:40through the
16:42pedestrianised area
16:43this room of
16:45course famed for
16:46its quirky
16:48buildings
16:48its independent
16:50businesses
16:50and it's nice
16:55to see so many
16:55people out and
16:56about on a
16:56Saturday lunch
16:57time
16:57enjoying the
16:59clear air
16:59getting their
17:01shopping
17:01and just
17:02exploring
17:03I suppose we
17:05should also
17:05mention
17:05as I spy
17:07Peter Richardson
17:08the UK
17:09independence
17:10party
17:10candidate
17:10here
17:10that
17:11there is a
17:14by-election
17:14going on
17:15in the
17:16Somerton and
17:16Froome
17:16constituency
17:17on July
17:17the 20th
17:18just under
17:19three weeks
17:20away
17:20to replace
17:21David Warburton
17:22who's been
17:22the MP
17:22here since
17:232015
17:23there are
17:25eight
17:26candidates
17:26standing
17:27to take
17:28his place
17:29as
17:29Somerton and
17:30Froome
17:30MP
17:30before the
17:31next general
17:31election
17:32when the
17:32boundaries
17:32change
17:33and I
17:34dare say
17:34that
17:35development
17:36in Froome
17:37including
17:38the
17:38pack
17:38saddle
17:38site
17:39is
17:40going
17:40to be
17:40a
17:40hot
17:40button
17:41issue
17:41for a
17:41lot
17:41of
17:41people
17:42in
17:42the
17:42town
17:42and
17:43we
17:45will
17:45post
17:45the
17:45link
17:45in
17:45the
17:46description
17:46after we
17:47finish
17:47streaming
17:48in a
17:48minute
17:48breaking
17:51down the
17:51candidates
17:51and
17:53maybe you
17:53can put
17:53your
17:54questions
17:54to
17:54them
17:54we're
17:55not
17:55aware
17:55of
17:55any
17:55particular
17:56hustings
17:56which
17:56are
17:57taking
17:57place
17:57but if
17:58we
17:58get
17:58dates
17:58for
17:59that
17:59we
18:00will
18:00let
18:00you
18:00know
18:00as
18:00soon
18:00as
18:00we
18:00have
18:01them
18:01well
18:03we've
18:03reached
18:04journey's
18:04end
18:04here
18:05in
18:05Froome
18:05town
18:05centre
18:06near
18:06the
18:06Boyles
18:06Cross
18:07and
18:09it's
18:10been
18:10relatively
18:12gentle
18:12in terms
18:12of
18:13terrain
18:13and
18:14it's
18:14not
18:15taken
18:15too
18:15long
18:15in
18:15terms
18:15of
18:16time
18:16to
18:16cover
18:16this
18:17far
18:17but
18:17hopefully
18:17this
18:18stream
18:19will
18:19have
18:19illuminated
18:20both
18:21the
18:22context
18:22of
18:23the
18:23pack
18:23saddle
18:23fields
18:24green
18:24space
18:25and
18:26how
18:27easy
18:27it
18:27is
18:27to
18:28get
18:28from
18:28there
18:28to
18:29access
18:30all
18:30that
18:30Froome
18:31has
18:31to
18:31offer
18:31like
18:32I
18:32say
18:32we'll
18:33be
18:33leaving
18:34this
18:34video
18:34on
18:35our
18:35Facebook
18:35page
18:36permanently
18:36so if
18:37you've
18:37missed
18:38any
18:38particular
18:38section
18:39of
18:39this
18:39stream
18:39or
18:40have
18:40any
18:40questions
18:40you can
18:41go back
18:41and watch
18:42that
18:42if I
18:42didn't
18:42get
18:43round to
18:43your
18:43comments
18:43today
18:43I
18:44apologise
18:44I
18:45will
18:45respond
18:46to
18:46them
18:46retrospectively
18:47and
18:47there
18:47will
18:47be
18:48a
18:48full
18:48piece
18:48on
18:49the
18:49Somerset
18:49live
18:50and
18:50other
18:50news
18:50sources
18:50early
18:51next
18:51week
18:52in
18:52the
18:52meantime
18:53I've
18:54been
18:54Daniel
18:54Munby
18:54your
18:55local
18:55democracy
18:55reporter
18:56thank you
18:56for joining
18:56me in
18:57Froome
18:57today
18:57make sure
18:58that you're
18:58registered to
18:59vote for the
18:59by-election
19:00on July
19:00the 20th
19:01if you
19:01haven't
19:01already
19:01and I
19:03will see
19:03you all
19:03early
19:04next week
19:04you