Council and local groups raise concerns over Selwood Garden Community development

THE planning application for Selwood Garden Community (SGC), on the southern edge of Frome, has been unanimously objected to by Frome Town Council.  

Residents and representatives from local groups, including Friends of the River Frome, Frome Community Area Land Trust, and Stop Selwood Garden Community, also voiced their objections to the plans at a full meeting of the town council, held on Wednesday 17th April. 

They cited concerns around the scale and size of the development, a lack of infrastructure, the impact on the sewage network and concerns around river flooding due to more houses in the area. 

The application, to develop 1,700 houses on land on the southern-edge of Frome, also includes two care homes, 6.7 hectares of employment land, a mixed-use local centre for primary school, cafes/restaurant and convenience store, other supporting social and physical infrastructure and provision of greenspace and other supporting ancillary works.  

Following a public consultation in October 2020, Land Value Alliances (LVA) submitted outline plans in August 2021 for the Selwood Garden Community (SGC) development.  A decision on the initial plans was delayed in April 2022, due to concerns around the neighbouring A36 raised by National Highways. Subsequent plans have since been submitted for consideration, including one that was re-submitted in February this year. 

At the town council meeting, local group, Friends of the River Frome, raised concerns about downstream flooding risks from the river at Wallbridge, non-compliance with planning policies, and the threat of sewage overflows into the river ecosystem. 

Also giving views were Lyn Sands of the campaign group Stop SGC and Pat Smith from Frome Civic Society, who both expressed concern that the developer would U-turn on pledges made, as they have done in similar developments, and that once approved, the town council would lack the authority to challenge them. 

Chair of Frome Town Council’s planning committee, cllr Steve Tanner, who presented the town council’s report on the application, acknowledged the residents’ scepticism about developers fulfilling their pledges, citing other developments which were ‘promised’ facilities which are now not being delivered. 

Town council’s objections  

The town council’s list of objections to the planning application includes; the development sits outside of the development limits; the site is too far from major developments; and the existing town infrastructure, such as medical facilities, education, water and sewage, public transport and the highway network, would not cope with the development. 

The town council also said it is not confident the design codes can or will be adhered to and the development must provide 40% affordable or social housing, with a high percentage of affordable housing being built first. 

Objections are also related to the loss of countryside and ‘valuable’ agricultural land. 

However, the town council said that if the application is approved by Somerset Council, certain conditions and requirements must be met first, including highways recommendations from Selwood Parish Council and Frome Town Council having freehold of open spaces and community buildings. 

‘Seat at the table’ 

Cllr Tanner said that he wants Frome Town Council to ‘have a seat at the table’ to ensure that, if the development goes ahead, the town has a say over Section 106 monies (funds that the developer has to provide for community facilities). 

He said, “In our objection, I am really clear that we should be part of any S106 discussions so that any monies come back to Frome, so that we have a say in how that money is spent in Frome to increase the infrastructure to benefit the residents who already live in Frome and any future residents.” 

Housing Crisis 

A member of Frome Area Community Land Trust (FACLT) John Clarke, raised the issue of the housing crisis in Frome, which was announced by the town council last year.  

He said Frome is expanding and suggested that the town needs to recognise and accept the opportunity SGC offers for providing more social housing to rent, despite the many challenges and the impact on infrastructure, which he agreed needed to be robustly addressed.  

John Clarke also agreed with the recommendation for 40% affordable housing at SGC and suggested Somerset Council could use its powers to implement a local lettings policy at the site.  

A representative from Land Value Alliances said, “I think there has been debate about the housing need for the town. We need to think about what happens to the households waiting for affordable homes, how long are we going to expect them to wait?” 

The town council said that if the development is approved, housing will realistically take 14 to 15 years to complete, so the development will have no immediate impact on the provision of affordable housing. 

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision by the end of the year.