Frome residents and MP Anna Sabine have voiced frustration over plans to hold the Selwood Garden Community Inquiry in Shepton Mallet, with the hearing set to begin in August.
The application for the 1,700-house development is due to be heard by the planning inspector in Shepton Mallet on 5th August and is expected to last four days, with a site inspection tour on 12th August.
However, residents have been calling for the meeting to be held in Frome instead, and MP Anna Sabine has formally raised concerns about this with Somerset Council and the Planning Inspectorate, saying Frome residents feel ‘locked out of a process which they should be central to.’
She said, “Choosing a venue miles away, with limited public transport and parking, puts up barriers to local participation and it sends entirely the wrong message about transparency and accessibility.”
“I understand that these inquiries are usually held in Shepton, so the council are just following precedent, but the decision to prioritise administrative convenience over public involvement is disheartening. This is a significant proposal that could shape the future of Frome for generations. If local people are expected to trust the planning system, they need to be able to see it in action, ideally, in their own community.”
Local residents have also raised their concerns. One resident said, “The development will have a huge effect on Frome if allowed. This meeting will be a vital chance for local people to state their views.”
The development proposes 1,700 houses, two care homes, 6.7 hectares of employment land, a mixed-use local centre, a primary school and open spaces on greenfield land on the edge of Frome.
The development has been opposed by many members of the community, including the Stop Selwood Garden Community action group. Although Somerset councillors were ‘minded to refuse’ the application in December, they later voted to take a neutral stance at the inquiry.
Frome Town Council has also changed its position and withdrawn its opposition to the development.
