Here are the biggest local planning stories from the past fortnight in Frome

Regeneration Plans

The fate of two rivalling plans to regenerate Frome town centre will be decided by Somerset Council by the end of the summer.

The Saxonvale site in Frome town centre has seen the subject of two competing proposals for its regeneration – one from the Bristol-based Acorn Property Group, the other from the locally-based Mayday Saxonvale.

Somerset Council (which owns the site) indicated in early-January that it would be looking to sell off the land as part of a wider review of its land, buildings and property portfolio, intended to balance its budget and provide funding for front-line services.

Since this announcement, Acorn has put forward amended proposals to redevelop the site and rumours have circulated on social media that Mayday Saxonvale had already made a cash offer to buy the site – rumours which the council subsequently debunked.

Read more here

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New Supermarket?

Home Bargains may be coming to Frome as part of a new development on the edge of town.

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Construction is currently proceeding on 198 homes within the Keyford Meadows site either side of Sandys Hill Lane on the southern edge of Frome.

As part of the outline permission for the development, which was secured in July 2020, new commercial units will be provided at the western edge of the site, near the existing Wessex Fields retail units.

Read the full story here.

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Stand Against Development

Frome is taking a stand to prevent another 1,700 new homes from being delivered in the next few years.

The southern edge of Frome is currently experiencing significant housing growth, with 198 homes currently being constructed at the Keyford Meadows site off Sandys Hill Lane and four additional sites having secured planning permission within the last 18 months.

On top of these permissions, there remains the prospect of a further 1,700 new homes being delivered as part of the Selwood Garden Community (SGC), which would extend the town as far as the busy A361.

But Frome Town Council has taken a formal stand against this large-scale development, citing a "vast amount of local opposition" from local residents.

Read more here.

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