An outline planning application has been submitted to Mendip District Council by Frontier Estates for mixed uses (including a supermarket, other retail units, restaurants, offices/studios, a hotel, space for a relocated FETE education centre, car parking and open space; ref no. 2013/2260/OTS) at the mainly derelict site between Saxonvale and Garsdale, on land owned by Notts Industries and Mendip District Council (Merchants Barton car park).

Frontier’s plans and reports can be viewed on Mendip’s website at the following link: http://publicaccess.mendip.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=MVMOOWKP02400

Please note that Mendip have extended the deadline for comments to 24^th January.

Frome Town Council prepared a detailed analysis of the proposals, in the ‘Agenda’ for the meeting on 23rd January here http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk/events/index/view/eventID/9176/categoryID/0/

Frontier’s project website is here:

Carley Development Trust CIC’s critical analysis can be found here: http://saxonvalesite.wordpress.com/about/

Frome For All is supportive of the proposals – see here: http://fromeforall.org/

It is very positive that FTC have gained Mendip’s agreement that the Planning Board will meet in Frome to determine the application (at a date yet to be decided).  I also understand from discussions that Mendip DC has agreed not to negotiate with Frontier about Mendip’s land assets until any planning permission is granted. Also, Mendip are yet to decide if a formal Environmental Impact Assessment is legally required – if it is, further information would need to be submitted to assess the environmental impact of the project, as was required for the previous Terramond mixed use scheme (which Mendip resolved to approve years ago).

Meanwhile, the Carley Development Trust Community Interest Company (CIC) has been formed to try to bring together an alternative credible development vision for the Saxonvale site, based on Mendip’s Planning Brief and the Town Council’s draft Neighbourhood Plan: see http://carleytrust.wordpress.com/. At the Frome Town Council External Affairs Committee meeting on 18^th December, FTC councillors agreed to work with the Trust on a Community Right to Build application – see http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk/events/index/view/eventID/8376/categoryID/0/.

Update 24 January 2014:

Last time I looked there were 230 comments from the public (including a few adjacent landowners, and local councillors) online: about 115 object to the proposals as they are, 112 support the application, and 3 are neutral.  I understand that over 100 people have written letters of objection to Mendip this week also. I have also received detailed letters from ‘Keep Frome Local’ and Frome Civic Society (both objecting to Frontier’s scheme) and ‘Frome For All’ (supporting the proposals). In these I see reasons to support the development of the site in principle, but detailed reasons for objecting to the current specific proposals submitted by Frontier.

At the extraordinary full Council meeting last night, after a 2 hour workshop and comments from local residents and organisations, councillors voted 9-2 to recommend that Mendip refuse the current plans. This followed FTC officers’ recommendations in the report (see here).

I voted for the recommendation to refuse, because although there is substantial support in the community for the development of the site for these uses, there is also much opposition to the specific proposals and outline plans Frontier submitted, and serious concerns have been raised by many different people which have not yet been addressed.  So, I agreed that some of Frontier’s proposal is worth supporting, and think it is really important that Frome Town Council acknowledges that, overall I considered that the current proposals are likely to create harmful impacts on the local environment, traffic, pedestrian access, and possibly the local economy, which have not yet been overcome. I also asked that FTC write to ask Frontier and Mendip to ask that the proposals be amended, and further information provided, and that they work with the Council and community to address our concerns.  I asked that FTC follow this up by preparing a detailed list of further information that the Council wants to be provided, so that Frontier can see what we think is missing. Councillors agreed to my requests and FTC is writing to Mendip with a list of further information requests.

To the original 7 reasons for recommending refusal, I added another: ‘The proposal will adversely affect the Frome Conservation Area, and the character of the riverside corridor, due to the loss of protected trees and development of car parking, which reduces the size and quality of the proposed riverside park.’

The words I asked to be added to the Council’s response to Mendip are as follows: “The Council supports in principle the development of this largely derelict and brownfield site for mixed uses, as set out in the draft Neighbourhood Plan. The Council notes the responses submitted so far by members of the public and organised groups such as Keep Frome Local, Frome For All and Frome Civic Society, which reveal that the members of the public in Frome are ‘split’ on the merits of this planning application, which substantial arguments both for and against the proposals on a range of issues. The Council acknowledges that there are many aspects of the proposals that are worth supporting, including to provide additional non-food retail stores, offices, restaurants and cafes, and a hotel, as well as open spaces and a riverside park.

The Council  invites the applicants to work with the Council and community to address concerns, to prepare revised development proposals that are more broadly acceptable to the local community.  The Council will also prepare and submit to the applicants and Mendip District Council, a detailed list of the further information we require, to ensure that the impacts of the proposals on the town centre economy, traffic, access, and the environment can be adequately assessed and addressed.’

Mendip’s planning team will now consider all responses over the coming weeks. I understand that when it comes to a decision, Mendip’s Planning Board will meet in Frome, as FTC’s Town Clerk has requested. This is good news as it means that people in Frome can see how the decision is made and can better influence decision-makers.

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