River land to become £75k safe walking route

Section of path along the River Frome under the Network Rail Bridge

Somerset councillors have voted to purchase a key section of land along the town’s river for about £75,000.

They have voted unanimously to purchase the land along the River Frome to deliver a safe walking route for residents and visitors.

While most of the riverbank is accessible via a public right of way (or the National Cycle Network route 24), a crucial short section lacks guaranteed public access.

Councillor Steve Tanner said: “Acquiring this section basically safeguards that public access across the whole river and through the centre of town for generations to come.”

“This has massive strategic value for us as a town going forward," Mr Tanner said. "It is the link between Spring Gardens and Blatchbridge.

“If we get this link here, you can effectively walk all the way through to where the proposed Selwood Garden Community may be built."

The section in question lies on the west bank of the River Frome, with the existing path through the land being narrow, overgrown and stony, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

While it is not an official public right of way, the route is regularly accessed by members of the public, including dog walkers and local anglers.

Section of land along the River Frome which Frome Town Council intends to purchase (outlined in yellow)

The land is expected to cost £75,000 to purchase, of which £30,000 will be provided by Frome Town Council.

A further £20,000 will come from crowdfunding, with the remainder being sourced from the Friends of the River Frome and private benefactors.

Additional funding of up to £5,000 may be needed to remove invasive Japanese knotweed from within the site, and there will be an annual maintenance cost to the town council of £5,000 for grass cutting, path repairs and associated work.

The town council met on 12 June to discuss the proposal, which entails purchasing around 1.5 hectares (just under four acres) between the planned houses and the railway bridge.

Section of path along the River Frome between the retreat and the Old Printworks in Frome

In addition to securing the footpath along the River Frome, the town council hoped this project would enable the long-awaited delivery of a footbridge to the Edmund Park estate, which lies on the eastern bank of the river near the town’s Asda supermarket.

The town council voted unanimously to back the proposed purchase, which officers believed could be finalised “within a matter of months”.

Somerset Council was expected to rule on the request to establish a public right of way along this section of the river by the end of the year; however, this could be delayed if the ruling was the subject of an appeal or other legal challenge.