Frome Town Council has called out the owner and developer of land at The Retreat in Frome who have refused to discuss their planning application - until it is decided.

Council planners have taken the highly unusual step of commenting while the application, to build four homes and a studio on land at postcode BA11 5JU, is active.

They have said that the owner of the land has refused to meet them until they have a 'successful resolution of their planning application. ' As councillors have pointed out this seems pointless - since by then it would have been decided. In what the council has said is a shameful response, the owner has refused to talk to the council, something they have said in an open letter to residents is ' unhelpful'.

The on-going planning dispute also involves access to the river, along a path which campaigners say is an existing right of way. The council asks the developer to give an immediate assurance that the path will be re-instated and retained.