On Thursday 2 April, a planning application for Selwood Garden Village, a development on Frome’s north-west edge incorporating 1,700 homes was approved by Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
A planned Somerset Council planning board meeting to debate the application was called off with 24 hours’ notice in February 2025, when the then Secretary of State Angela Rayner ‘called in’ the application, taking the final decision out of the unitary authority’s hands and into central government. This unusual move reduced Somerset Council’s role to that of a consultee rather than a decision maker. Frome Town Council has also engaged in the process as a consultee and will continue in that role as the project proceeds.
Chair of Frome Town Council’s planning committee, Cllr Steve Tanner said: “I understand that there are mixed feelings and real concern about this decision and about the impact of this development on our local infrastructure.
“Frome Town Council have stayed at the table over the past five years, working closely with the developer and Somerset Council to push for the best possible outcome for Frome. That means proper infrastructure, improvements to the A361/A362 junction, investment in community buildings, employment opportunities and making sure active travel is built in from the start, not as an afterthought.
“Crucially, this scheme secures approximately 510 new affordable and socially rented homes for local people, which is something Frome desperately needs.
“So while we recognise people’s concerns, we also believe this approach is much better than the inevitable piecemeal developments coming forward and we will continue to work with developers to drive forward the best possible development for Frome.”
Read more about the decision to approve the SGC development.
