A PROJECT by the Environment Agency (EA) to build a permanent watercraft launching site and lifting pad on the River Frome has come under scrutiny.

The platform, found near The Round House in Welshmill, will be used by the EA to lower a boat onto the river to enable staff to clear vegetation and blockages to help reduce flood risk in the town.

The platform would provide access to 400 metres of river in the town centre and would only be used “several” times a year.

The EA has a statutory duty to keep the River Frome free from debris, and the town has seen several near-flooding incidents over the years.

Despite the EA’s insistence that the platform will eventually blend into the landscape, the project has been described as an “overblown monstrosity,” and questions have been raised over its scale.

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Richard Chisnall from Frome, who said the launching site is rumoured to have cost £280,000, believes the project could have been cheaper, more sensitive and “less hostile to the needs of the town.”

The EA said that despite construction being completed, a final cost cannot be shared until ongoing commercial contract discussions end.

Mr Chisnall criticised the project for reducing access to the River Frome as the area is popular with locals due to its central location in the town and was previously used as a dip by dogs.

Four trees were removed from the site to enable construction, but the EA said it worked with Frome Town Council to plant seven more trees in the area adjacent to the Allotments and four more trees in Rodden Meadow to offset the removal.

He said: “Why is it so ugly and bombastic? Why was that location chosen, with many access issues, instead of less than 100m upstream, adjacent to a large car park?”

He added: “Instead of improving access to the river, it appears to be specifically designed to prevent it.”

The platform has been criticised for reducing access to the river Picture: Richard Chisnall

Canoe Club site “unfeasible”

When questioned why the EA did not liaise with the Frome Canoe Club to enable access to the river instead of opting for four months of construction, an EA spokesperson said they considered the nearby car park and the canoe club as potential options, but these sites were deemed “unfeasible” due to their elevated height and steepness.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “There are flood defence schemes in the Bristol Avon catchment that require our staff to regularly check and carry out maintenance by boat. One of these is in Frome, which protects 100 properties.

“Lowering a boat to the water on a muddy slope was dangerous for our staff, so, after exploring options in the area that weren’t feasible due to height and access, we are grateful that Frome Town Council has allowed use of its land.

“The platform is strong and wide enough for the use of heavy-duty lifting equipment to lower our boat and it will blend into the landscape once planted grass becomes fully established.”

The EA said the platform did not require planning permission as it was allowed under permitted rights.

They added that they worked closely with Frome Town Council during the design options, premobilisation and construction stages.

Planning permission for tree clearance and canopy lifting within a conservation area was granted separately.

Construction of the project began in August 2024 when the widening and strengthening of the path between the weir at Welshmill and the construction site began to enable access for the 35-tonne digger used for the main earthworks.

‘Not attractive – but essential’

A spokesperson for the Friends of the River Frome said while they weren’t consulted on the design, they do not have any major objections to it.

“We agree it’s not the most attractive, but it’s essential the bank is kept stable and that the EA have safe access to the water so they can conduct surveys to help monitor and protect the river,” a spokesperson said.

“There has long been a launch spot here and previous EA visits have disturbed the path and the pond behind it – hopefully the new setup should prevent that from happening.

“Also, over time we hope the appearance of it will soften as it greens up.

“Our focus for this stretch of the river is not the launch, but the weir further down – we have long pushed for its removal, as this would be a huge boost for river ecology, and reduce flood risk.”