The future of a major housing development in Frome could be decided this week, with the scheme to go before councillors once again.

In December Somerset Council's planning committee east said it was "minded to refuse" proposals for 1,700 new homes.

Outline plans were submitted in August 2021 for the Selwood Garden Community (SGC), which would see green fields between the A361 and the southern edge of Frome transformed into a substantial new community, including new commercial space, a primary school and a riverside park.

The scheme has evolved significantly in the years since, but councillors narrowly voted they were "minded to refuse" granting permission after four hours of discussion last year.

Council officers were then given two months to bring back a full draft of reasons to refuse the application and to consider the problems identified by councillors.

This will be discussed tomorrow (February 4) by the same committee.

But a report produced ahead of the meeting said council officers believe the application should be granted planning approval.

It said: "Officers remain of the opinion that the application should be approved as per the original officer recommendation as set out in the report that was presented to the committee at the December 2024."

In addition to the new homes, the development would also include a local centre and community hub (which will include shops, restaurants and offices), more than 25,000 sq m of employment space, two residential care homes (providing a combined total of 105 beds), a 420-place primary school, playing fields, allotments, orchards and new pedestrian and cycle routes.

Around 40 per cent of the site was set aside public open space, nature reserves or other green landscaping, including a new nature reserve on the southern side of the A361.

Of the 1,700 homes proposed for the site, 30 per cent will be affordable – the equivalent of 510 homes, which will be a mixture of social rented, shared ownership and other low-cost options.

The application has received a swathe of local objections, with many locals speaking at the meeting in December.

Mark Pollock from the Friends of the River Frome said: "There is a very well-documented problem with combined sewage outflows releasing sewage into the river. This development must not make this bad situation worse.

"Foul water infrastructure improvements must be considered upfront and not through conditions. The conditions do not encourage a holistic approach – this is a recipe for disaster.

"The remaining playing pitch will be unusable in the winter months, and we would prefer the whole area to be left to natural #flooding management."

See the full council report here.