Community ownership: Industry reacts as Mayday Saxonvale falls, Brixton on the rise

More than 100 people attended the Somerset Council meeting that would decide the fate of the 12-acre Saxonvale site in Frome. 

 

The crowd was mostly there to support one of the bidders: Social enterprise and champion of community ownership, Mayday Saxonvale. 

 

It’s been a dramatic story of hope and loss. After planning permission was granted to Acorn Property Group for a high-density residential scheme on the site, local people formed Mayday Saxonvale to propose an alternative mixed-use community scheme. Acorn won the bid, but pulled out due to public outcry.

 

Mayday Saxonvale’s masterplan would go on to win planning permission and the social enterprise was granted an exclusive agreement to purchase the site, with a draft contract of sale issued to Maydale Saxonvale Development Ltd by the council executive in January 2025. 

 

But contracts were never exchanged “due to an absence of proof of funding” and in May 2025, Somerset Council announced it would be marketing Saxonvale with an open and competitive sales process. 

 

Mayday Saxonvale raised over £960,000 in community shares from more than 1,100 people and secured £1.2m in social investment to pursue the bid.

 

On Wednesday (23 September) the council finally announced the results of that process. Eight bids were received for the site with criteria for selection including financial offer, experience and proof of funds. 

 

The council awarded the contract – not to Mayday Saxonvale – but to investment firm Newcore Capital, a B-Corp based in London that promised to engage with the community on future plans.

 

 

The failure of the Mayday Saxonvale bid has dimmed the spirits of many vocal champions for community ownership in the UK regeneration industry – and dented their trust in devolution to unlock people-powered projects. Disappointed supporters took to social media to express their grief and call for changes to the bidding process to give community support more weight.

 

“We allowed ourselves to believe this time, where others had been dealt a cruel blow in the past such as at Atmos in Totnes, that Mayday Saxonvale might have been successful,” says Giles Smith, founding partner at Assemble.

 

Local resident of Frome, Rosie Downes says the community-led development has been, “Game changing, even if the game here hasn’t yet been changed.

 

“Mayday Saxonvale have done an incredible thing here in Frome. To have brought so many people on board, and to have got their vision for Saxonvale – a place that works for people, and is shaped by the community – almost within reach.”

 

Many focussed their anger on the council: “Somerset Council’s decision is inexcusable,” says Rebecca Trevalyan, co-founder of Platform Places. “It’s devastating for the whole community ownership movement.” 

 “Mayday Saxonvale has huge local support, £2.2 million raised, a credible vision and plan, and a strong delivery partner. If there’s a locally-led scheme, your job as a councillor is to back it every step of the way,” says Trevalyan.

“No one who has spent any time with the Mayday Saxonvale crew could be in any doubt of their capability, competence or commitment. This decision really is the wrong one,” says Jessica Prendergrast, co-founder and director of Onion Collective CIC. “The council should have been braver in this case.”

“Councils can’t do much themselves, but they can stop great things from happening as they have in Frome,” adds Prendergrast, who wants to see councils moving the obstacles out of the way for “the community sector to step in and create extraordinary things.”

 

Frances Northrop, Head of Community Economic Power at the New Economics Foundation, is concerned that national government may have intervened in decision-making at Mayday Saxonvale: “A closer look and something more troubling is going on.”

Northrop spotted that the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government issued a Best Value Notice to the council in July 2026 which read: “Ministers remain concerned as to Somerset’s capacity to comply with its Best Value Duty under the Local Government Act 1999 and consider that action is necessary to address those concerns transparently and at pace.”

 

“Here is a very real challenge,” says Northrop. “Somerset Council have to meet their statutory duties and stay solvent, and deal with the fact that they cannot accept less than the ’market’ value set by the property industry.”

 

“The government needs to amend Best Value rules to reflect the wider benefits of community-led development,” Northrop concludes.

 

Other recommendations for government include: “Communities need land rights far beyond what is in the new Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, revenue funding and a substantial (greater than £1 billion) capital fund to match other government funds, pensions, foundations and family offices to enable them to shift ownership on the scale and the urgency that we need.”

 

“Austerity has created a perfect storm of councils having to sell off assets, creating a scarcity that means private capital can now step in to offer that social infrastructure back to us at a price, and starving the community development sector of pre development and capital funding to compete for buildings and land,” says Northrop.

 

Meanwhile in Brixton

 

The news of Saxonvale’s fall arrives during jubilation and a fundraising drive for Buy Back Brixton, a campaign for the community ownership of Brixton Village and Market Row that is making progress having been named as the preferred buyer for the site.

 

If successful, the purchase will be the largest asset to be brought under community ownership in UK history.

 

The social enterprise led by Brixton Traders & Community Association and The Advocacy Academy must now raise £50m within six months to secure the purchase. The group will also need to complete legal, financial and governance work. They are said to be pursuing a transparent model with democratic decision-making processes.

 

The campaign has already secured £6.5m in pledges from trusts and foundations, alongside over £600,000 raised through crowdfunding website Go Fund Me.

“Buy Back Brixton is an incredible result on the back of incredible local organising,” says Trevalyan. “Now it’s time for philanthropy to step up and write 7-figure cheques. The movement urgently needs resourcing.”

 

The market and village are currently owned by Hondo Enterprises and TPG AG Real Estate Europe. The Brixton Village arcade opened in 1937 while Market Row was built in 1928. Brixton has a long tradition of civic action and advocacy.

 

On 16 September, the group held a party in Brixton to celebrate being named as preferred bidder. During a rally speech, chef and presenter Levi Roots said, “I feel the spirit of the Windrush generation, who built this foundation with sweat, blood, tears for this place we call home.” 

 

Buy Back Brixton is calling for donations: “We are not there yet,” writes Callum Jackson, a communications strategist working with the campaign, in a message to supporters. “Being named preferred buyer moves us into the next phase of the purchase process. It does not mean the market is bought.” 

 

“The ask is the same as it was in June, and it matters even more now. If you can give again, please do. If you cannot, please share this with someone who can. Every contribution is part of the total that gets us over the line.” 

 

Find out more Visit the Buy Back Brixton website or support the crowdfunding campaign on Go Fund Me