DEMOLITION of Frome’s former police station on Oakfield Road began this week as developers prepare the site for 61 new homes, despite strong opposition from the town and district councils.
The demolition is expected to take around three months, and building work will take place alongside it from June.
The new homes are to be built against the wishes of local residents, Frome Town Council and Mendip District Council, after developer Newland Homes was granted permission at appeal by a Government inspector.
When the appeal was won in December, Frome town councillor Peter Macfadyen said, “It is a great shame; the scheme is simply the wrong one for this site. I fully recognise the need for housing, but not at all costs. The challenge for us all remains how to convince the planning system that there are times when those who live in a place understand the damage an imposed scheme can cause.”
Mendip District Council received over 80 comments from the public, many of them objecting to the scheme.
The district council itself called the plans ‘cramped’, ‘unacceptable’ and ‘bland’.
In its decision to refuse the planning permission, the council wrote, “The proposal represents an overdevelopment of the site in that the density provides a cramped form of development that is out of character with the pattern of development in the area.
“The scheme as a whole does little to contribute to the local identity and distinctiveness of the area.”
Concerns were also raised about the increased traffic around the school, the provision of affordable housing, and the contribution to local facilities.
At appeal the Planning Inspectorate did not uphold the objections and granted planning permission.
For the duration of construction work, designated parking has been set aside for the nearby Oakfield Academy, and the site team has been working closely with the school to limit the disruption to staff, students and parents.
The build, which Newland claims has been designed in keeping with the local area, will include one, two, three and four bedroom homes, and are expected to start selling in spring 2017.
Tom Sheppard, design manager for Newland Homes said, “We’re very pleased to commence works at Oakfield Road. We’ve spent some time planning the demolition and construction works as safety is always our priority.
“Demolition works have been unable to commence until the former police station utilities could be disconnected. Work couldn’t start safely before this without risking disruption to local residents’ own supplies.
“Sustaining and protecting local wildlife is also of utmost importance and so we needed to ensure that suitable measures had been put in place, with the agreement of the relevant authorities.”
For more details visit www.mendip.gov.uk (reference 2014/2211 /FUL).
