The planning application by Wainhomes at Little Keyford Lane, Frome has been refused by Mendip’s planning board for a second time at the meeting last night.
They are proposing to build 70 houses with some open space, ecological mitigation land, drainage and landscaping, and a new vehicular access. It was acknowledged that improvements have been made to the original application, but the planning board agreed that the original reasons for refusal had still not been sufficiently dealt with.
The main issues were the installation of gas boilers, the loss of a large section of valuable hedgerow along Little Keyford Lane, the lack of a safe pedestrian route along the B3092 going towards the town centre.
Cllr Steve Tanner, Chair of Frome Town Council Planning Committee, spoke at the meeting with a particular focus on the issue of installing gas boilers and the impact this will have on the environment and future occupiers of the site, stating: “Energy costs are rising monthly, there is no guarantee they will return to previous levels, this will have a huge impact on residents going forward. We strongly feel that by not installing Air Source Heat Pumps at the build stage is a backward philosophy.”
Frome Town Council will now set up a further meeting with the applicants and various interested parties including the Ward Cllrs, to try and agree an acceptable way forward.
