One of the most controversial planning applications for Frome, for 1700 new homes, has been formally submitted to Mendip District Council.

The planning application for Selwood Garden Community (SGC) was submitted to the planning department today.

The plans, the developer insists, are an: " Exciting project that will enable sustainable growth of the town over the next 10 years or more. It will provide a steady supply of about 130 new homes per year, 1700 in total. The scheme will also provide employment land that will create over 1,200 jobs, a neighbourhood centre including a new primary school, extend the town's river valley park

meeting objectives aimed at addressing the declared climate change emergency" when simply not building 1700 houses on a greenfield site would be far more beneficial in achieving this end.

"We question the concept of 'Garden Community Principles' as there is to our knowledge, no such thing. The use of such glossy phrasing as 'sustainable glossy phrasing as 'sustainable construction techniques' and 'renewable energy generation' without the assurance of legally binding obligations, or even specific details does nothing to reassure us that the carbon footprint of such a massive development will be alleviated."

The scheme has been in development for four years and is led by a group headed by Grass Roots Planning