Solar panels will be installed on the roof of a beloved Frome theatre following the unanimous backing of local councillors.

The Lucky Chance theatre lies within the former Portway Methodist Church on the A362 Portway in Frome, and has been home to the Wise Children theatre company since 2023.

The theatre company applied to Somerset Council in March 2024 to install solar panels on the building, with the council's planning committee east giving the plans the green light when it met in Shepton Mallet on Tuesday afternoon (February 4).

This comes as the theatre awaits the outcome of a funding bid to central government, which if successful could see it receiving a share of £5m.

The chapel was constructed by United Methodists in 1910 and lies within the Frome conservation area – meaning that any plans to alter its fabric or appearance must pass a series of vigorous tests.

Poppy Keeling, executive director of Wise Children, told the committee: "We have slowly and lovingly brought this building back into use as our rehearsal space and the base for the training courses that we run for young theatre-makers, who come from across the county to train with us.

"We have also put on a Christmas show in the building for the past two years, welcoming in around 2,000 local residents each year as well as offering all first and primary schoolchildren in Frome free tickets for the show.

"Being able to reduce our energy bills will ensure we are able to direct more of our resources to our public engagement activities. We're also committed to becoming a net zero building over the next few years."

The council's planning officers had recommended in advance of the meeting that permission be refused, arguing the solar panels would have a "negative impact" on the appearance of the chapel (a designated heritage asset), the Frome conservation area and the wider town centre, and would offer "no specific public benefits".

Councillors, however, took a very different view on Tuesday (February 4), arguing that the benefits far outweighed any harm to the building or the local area.

Councillor Shane Collins (whose Frome East division includes the site) said: "They are an excellent theatre company.

"You can see the solar panels from the road if you really look, but they are going to be black solar panels.

"We have declared a climate emergency. Frankly I'm amazed that things like solar panels on a church for a theatre even need to waste your time on the planning board."

Councillor Adam Boyden (Frome North) agreed, stating; "This is a very busy street – you probably wouldn't notice the solar panels driving through.

"There are environmental benefits to this, and it's a community facility – they've done a great job renovating the building."

Councillor Martin Dimery (Frome West) added: "This theatre company is a great asset to Frome.

"The Cheese and Grain put solar panels on their roof many years ago and it had a fantastic return [on investment] – it's a really good thing to do."

The committee voted unanimously to approve the plans after just over half an hour's debate.

The Lucky Chance is one of four cultural venues (and two in Frome) which is in the running for a share of £5m from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), with the grant being earmarked for cultural projects within the former Mendip area.

The other venues included within the ongoing bid are the Cheese and Grain music venue, the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury and the former Amulet theatre in Shepton Mallet

If successful, the Lucky Chance theatre would use its share of the funding to make the building more wheelchair accessible and improve its garden area to enhance the visitor experience.

Somerset Council confirmed in late-January that the funding pot was currently under review following the change in government, and that the outcome of this review would be known by the spring.

A spokesman said: "Given the need to make savings, the government announced after the autumn budget in October 2024, that it was minded to withdraw funding from the levelling up culture projects and capital regeneration projects announced at the spring budget in 2024, but it will consult the affected places before making final decisions.

"An evaluation form was sent to the council, which we have since filled in and returned (with a letter of support from MP Sarah Dyke), and we are awaiting the outcome at some point in March."