SOMERSET planning chiefs are ‘minded to refuse’ plans to build 1,700 homes in Frome.
Grass Roots Planning Ltd, on behalf of Land Value Alliances and Landowners Consortium, had submitted a planning application for development of fields at the southern edge of the town – known as the Selwood Garden Community (SGC) scheme.
The plans, which included a commercial space for shops, restaurants, and offices, a riverside park, two care homes, a 420-place primary school as well as an employment space, faced fierce opposition from hundreds of residents, Frome Town Council and MP for nearby West Wiltshire, Dr Andrew Murrison.
It was considered by Somerset Council’s Planning – East committee yesterday (Wednesday), with councillors voting to approve a motion that it was ‘minded to refuse’, with reasons to be decided in the coming weeks.
The long-awaited decision came amid concerns from some the development would encroach on the green buffer at the southern edge of the town, as well as the potential impact on local services and roads.
The plans, first submitted in 2021, underwent a revision in 2022 and again earlier this year following criticism from campaigners.
More than 500 objections to the scheme were received, including from CPRE Somerset, Friends of the River Frome, Stop SGC group, Frome Town Council, Frome Civic Society and Selwood Parish Council.
Stop SGC has repeatedly said the plans would “destroy Frome’s natural habitats and hundreds of acres of productive farmland”.
It added the development would put pressure on the “already overwhelmed infrastructure of Frome and the surrounding area” and has said the proposals exceed the number of houses the town needs.
READ MORE: Plan for 1,700 homes, shops and more in Frome
Frome Town Council (FTC) previously submitted objections to the plans, highlighting the development is outside the development limits and the impact on the town’s infrastructure.
FTC Cllr Steve Tanner said the section 106 agreement, a legal agreement between a planning authority and a developer to ensure extra works related to a development are undertaken, is “a missed opportunity”.
He said: “It gives very little to Frome and the uplift to infrastructure will be minimal.”
He went on to say the town’s medical practice does not have the infrastructure to cope with an increased demand and that the development presents a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to gain funds to improve the town, but this was not included in the proposals.
The development would sit near the notorious A361/A362 junction, which has seen several deaths in the past year as a result of crashes, which was highlighted by Somerset Cllr Martin Dimery (Green, Frome West) at the meeting.
“The Frome bypass is what will be the essential artery for the estate and it has had approaching seven fatality in the past 14 months – that accounts for 33% of all fatalities in the whole of Somerset,” he said.
“This desperately needs revising and this has to be an essential consideration.”
Richard Hammons, from Selwood Parish Council, raised concerns with traffic impacts and proposed access on the A361, known locally as the ski slope.
“HGVs use the ski slope, so the proposed roundabout will only stall traffic as these vehicles slow down to let cars out. [The developer] should pay for a new climbing lane for these HGVs,” he added.
He also suggested the A361/A362 junction would only get worse with the increased traffic and that traffic lights should be installed to negate this.
He added: “This development would bring traffic chaos, traffic blights and traffic jams. This will then result in Somerset Council fixing this to solve the traffic misery which we as taxpayers will pay for.”
After a long debate over the application, the committee voted seven votes to five to approve it was ‘minded to refuse’.
The precise reasons for refusal are set to be discussed at the February meeting of the committee.
Providing the developers are held firmly to build and provide ALLthey have submitted and plant and sustain the greenery , and providing the actual house designs are better than that extremely poor development allowed above Asdas in Frome (( how the hell did that get past by anyone), disgusting in planning and quality of house designs , l think the general concept for this undoubtedly massive new creation has a great deal to commend it , especially if by allowing this , frome wont spread madly in other directions as development in Trowbridge and Westbury have so damagingly done to the surrounding countryside .