Somerset residents oppose plans for 1,700 new homes

Land north of Little Keyford Lane is expected to provide around 20 homes

Campaigners are taking a stand against 1,700 homes being built in Frome after the town council receive "vast amount of local opposition" from residents.

Land Value Alliances acting on behalf of the Selwood Garden Community (SGC) landowners consortium, put forward proposals in July 2021.

The plan would extend the town as far as the A361, which is larger than the proposed second phase of the Monkton Heathfield urban extension of 1,450 homes in Taunton.

Somerset Council has not confirmed the precise datewhen the SGC plans will come forward for a public discussion.

Amended masterplan for The Selwood Garden Community in Frome

The southern edge of Frome currently has 198 homes being constructed with another four additional sites having secured planning permission according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The development is set to include shops, restaurants and offices and a local centre and community hub.

It will also provide two residential care homes, a primary school, allotments and new pedestrian and cycle routes.

However, the Stop SGC campaign group argue that the developers had not taken residents concerns into account.

'Unacceptable loss'

Frome Town Council is a formal consultee on the plans, which is expected to be determined by Somerset Council's planning committee east before the end of the year.

Following a full council meeting, the council laid out several reasons to object the plans and said the development is “outside of the development limits” for Frome.

They also said that most of the new residents would have to travel to Frome to access services, and that the development is “not sustainable and does not meet the test of sustainability from an economic, social and environmental perspective”

Councillors have urged Somerset Council to have “further discussions” with NHS Somerset and Wessex Water to see what improvements could be secured if the plans are approved.

Frome Town Council has taken a formal stand against this large-scale development

The current plans propose 30% of the new homes will be affordable, the equivalent of 510 properties.

The town council are urge road improvements would be needed if plans did go ahead, including an enhancement to the Marston Gate and Blatchbridge roundabouts on the A361.

The council said the existing Frome infrastructure “cannot support a development of this size” and the development would result in the “unacceptable loss of open countryside".