Frome Saxonvale: High Court quashes planning permission

Acorn Property Group's plans for Saxonvale had been meant to bring up to 300 new homes to Frome

A high court judge has quashed the planning permission of a developer which was meant to be regenerating a key part of Frome town centre.

Saxonvale has been derelict for decades and in recent years there have been two rivals proposals for the ten-acre site.

Somerset Council owns the land and Acorn Property Group is its preferred developer.

A judge quashed Acorn's planning consent, due to an issue with the allocation of land for employment.

That court case had been brought by rival community-based developer Mayday Saxonvale which also has planning board approval for its own plans for the site.

More than 250 people opposed the Acorn plan ahead of it being passed by Mendip District Council in 2021

Amy Proctor, strategic partnerships manager at Acorn Property Group, said the company remained "committed and positive" to its vision for Saxonvale.

"We are disappointed with the outcome of the judicial review, which ultimately centred on a procedural technicality," she said.

"For over two decades it has lain vacant, having faced ongoing challenges at the planning stage. The technical challenges for this site cannot be underestimated and events like this will only cause further delay.

"Like so many of the residents of Frome, we are all keen for development to commence."

Rival plans for the site including a lido have been brought forward by Mayday Saxonvale

Local business owner and Mayday Saxonvale director, Damon Moore, who lodged the challenge, said: "We are incredibly happy with the outcome of this judicial review.

"The decision by the judge acknowledges the critical importance of Saxonvale in providing a genuine town centre extension.

"Judge Jay ruled that Acorn's scheme for Saxonvale failed to provide the requirement of the council's own local plan for much-needed employment space to be located on the Saxonvale site," Mr Moore said.

Acorn Property Group said it was going to put in a revised planning application to the council as soon as possible and it remains in a contractual relationship with Somerset Council.

Mayday Saxonvale said it wanted the council to now talk to it instead.

A spokesperson for Somerset Council said: "We are always disappointed if the Courts decide we got a decision wrong, so we will be carefully considering the technical issues on which this judgment hinged before deciding on our next steps."

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