By Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Mumby
A discount retailer will be coming to Frome and creating more than 100 local jobs after plans were approved by local councillors.
Home Bargains has been given full planning permission by Somerset Council, to be developed on commercial land near Frome’s Sainsbury’s, despite local concerns about traffic congestion on the neighbouring roads.
Mendip District Council granted outline planning permission in July 2020 for 235 homes and commercial premises either side of Sandys Hill Lane, near the town’s Sainsbury’s supermarket and McDonald’s drive-thru among other businesses.
The new store will comprise nearly 1,800 sq m of floor space, with access being provided to an additional planned unit to the south, which is expected to be filled by a food retailer under a separate application.
A total of 137 car parking spaces will be provided on site, including eight accessible spaces, five parent and child spaces, and two charging points for electric vehicles – along with ten cycle stands for customers and staff.
Construction of the new Home Bargains store is expected to begin shortly after Christmas, with the opening date being confirmed later in 2026.
Curo subsequently secured revised permission for the residential element of the site and is in the later stages of constructing 198 homes at what has been christened the Keyford Meadows site.
T. J. Morris Ltd. (the trading name of Home Bargains) applied in November 2024 to build a new store within the commercial element of the site, adjacent to the Sainsbury’s store with an access off Oakley Way.
Somerset Council, which replaced the district council in April 2023, has now given its backing to the plans.
The site was allocated for commercial development within the council’s Local Plan Part II – a revised version of which was formally adopted in September in the aftermath of a judicial review.
A spokesperson for Quod (representing the retailer) said,“Affordable access to good quality, everyday goods is more important now than ever given the cost-of-living issues that people throughout the UK are increasingly facing.
“The discount retailer sector has seen significant growth in recent years as shoppers have been attracted by the quality of products and competitive pricing.
“Home Bargains is not currently represented in Frome, with the nearest store located in Trowbridge, some eight miles from the site.
“The proposed store when opened, would generate more than 100 full- and part-time job opportunities. Most of these job opportunities will be available to local people and will be across a range of scales.”
The council’s planning committee east (which handles major applications within the former Mendip area) gave its blessing to the plans when it convened in Shepton Mallet on 4th November.
Gary Wicks, who has lived on the Keyford Meadows estate for the last 18 months, said (in a statement read out on his behalf), “We have noticed a marked increase in traffic congestion from the Sainsbury’s/ McDonald’s roundabout, which is exacerbated by commuter traffic.
“All entrances to this roundabout become easily backlogged, even for those simply wishing to return home. People are frequently met with verbal abuse from drivers.
“Entertaining the idea of HGVs potentially reversing within this stretch of road is folly.”
Selwood Parish Councillor Richard Hammons said, “All well-designed stores have dedicated service entrances for HGVs; mixing HGVs with customers is dangerous and unsafe.
“A dedicated service road is required for both of these stores. It would be inadvisable for you to approve this application without the needs of the food store being taken into consideration.”
Councillor Helen Kay, whose Frome East division includes the site, said, “When we debated the outline permission, the access road was an issue and the vote was split – it went through on the chair’s casting vote.
“However, we are where we are – we’ve got to work with it.
“This commercial strip is very narrow and it was always got to be a problem getting lorries in and out. We’ve got to be very creative with it.”
After around 45 minutes’ debate, the committee voted to approve the plans by nine votes to zero, with one abstention.
Additional applications are expected to come forward in 2026 for both the food retail outlet to the south of the Home Bargains store and numerous elements to the north – which may include a care home and two drive-thru outlets.
Pictured: Planned site of Home Bargains store on Oakley Way in Frome. Credit: Somerset Council.
