More than 100 additional homes could be coming to Frome's southern edge under new proposals put forward by a major developer.

David Wilson Homes is currently constructing the Francis Fields development in the Keyford area of Frome, comprising 226 homes either side of the B3092 The Mount.

The developer held a public exhibition in Frome on Monday afternoon (January 13) to officially launch its plans for a further 140 homes south of Francis Fields, on the eastern side of the main road.

Residents can have their say on the initial proposals until January 31, with a formal planning application expected to be submitted by the end of the following month.

The site lies between the Francis Fields development and Burchill Lane – right on the boundary of the proposed Selwood Garden Community of 1,700 new homes.

Somerset Council's planning committee east (which handles major applications within the former Mendip area) said it was "minded to refuse" these proposals in December 2024 – with a final ruling expected at its next meeting in early-February.

The southern edge of Frome has seen significant interest from housing developers in recent years – in part because the town lies outside the Somerset Levels and Moors catchment area, meaning developers do not need to pay large sums to secure additional phosphate mitigation.

Construction is currently under way at two other sides in the wider Keyford area, with Wain Homes delivering 70 homes within its Keyford on the Green site (immediately to the north of Francis Fields) and Curo constructing 198 homes and commercial space within the Keyford Meadows site off Sandys Hill Lane.

David Wilson Homes said that its latest proposals needed to be judged on their own merits, and were not designed to enable elements of the Selwood Garden Community to come forward in an underhanded fashion.

A spokesman said: "We have no formal relationship with the Selwood Garden Community development; each development proposal must be assessed on its own merits.

"Our proposals for up to 140 new homes off Birchill Lane are the next phase of our development to the south of Frome, and are a natural continuation of that process."

Of the 140 homes planned for the site, 42 properties will be affordable – meeting the council's 30 per cent target for any new development of ten homes or more within the former Mendip area.

The spokesman added: "The exact split of affordable homes would have to be agreed with Somerset Council, but it is our expectation that there will be a portion of social rent included within our development.

"Our proposed development will make a significant contribution towards local services and infrastructure, although the exact figure remains to be seen as there will need to be a Section 106 Agreement made with the council."

The legal agreements for the Francis Fields development committed David Wilson Homes to providing more than £1.2m for new school places in Frome, along with nearly £312,000 for improvements to the Gorehedge junction (where the A362 meets the B3090) and more than £194,000 for improvements to the A36 between Frome and Bath.

For more information on the proposed development, and to give your feedback, visit www.burchill-lane.co.uk, email [email protected] or call 0800 689 5209 by January 31.

David Wilson Homes is expected to submit an outline planning application, incorporating residents' feedback, by the end of February, with Somerset Council expected to make a decision on these outline plans by the autumn.

If planning consent is secured, a reserved matters application (providing more details on the design and layout of the homes) will be put forward in the winter, with a view to construction starting by the middle of 2026.