New jobs will be coming to Frome after a major retail unit was approved near one of the town’s largest housing estates.

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).

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. secured permission in November 2025 to build a new Home Bargains store within the commercial element of the site, adjacent to the Sainsbury’s store with an access off Oakley Way – a development which will create up to 100 new jobs.

The same company has now obtained planning permission from Somerset Council (which replaced the district council in April 2023) for an additional unit to the south, despite fears that it will lead to “severe” traffic congestion.

The new unit will be constructed immediately south of the planned Home Bargains store, using the same access from Oakley Way.

The store will provide around 1,800 sq m of retail space, with the outline plans indicating that it will be occupied by a food retailer – though it is not currently clear which company will be occupying it, and therefore how many new jobs will be created.

A total of 41 car parking spaces will be provided (including five disabled spaces, four parent and child spaces, and two electric vehicle charging bays) on top of 137 spaces being delivered through the Home Bargains site.

Jim Dowling, chairman of Selwood Parish Council, spoke against the proposals when Somerset Council’s planning committee east (which handles major applications within the former Mendip area) met in Shepton Mallet on July 7.

In a statement read out on his behalf, he said: “On the earlier Home Bargains application, we deplored the lack of provision of a separate HGV access via a service road.

“HGVs can service this new store between 7am and 7pm from Monday to Saturday, dangerously mixing the customer and HGV traffic.

“This may result in vehicles waiting on the public highways to enter and exit the site. That carriageway will have to serve nearly 200 homes, an expanding industrial estate and a drive-thru restaurant opposite.

“There will be severe disruption every time a HGV appears. It’s madness to allow HGVs on this site during trading hours.”

Councillor Adam Boyden (Liberal Democrat, Frome North) added: “There are already queues on that road from the McDonald’s – residents at the moment sometimes have to drive on the other side of the road to get around that at peak times.

“This will continue and no doubt grow – but if HGVs were allowed in the night-time, they would be too noisy.”

Despite these concerns, the committee voted to approve the plans by six votes to none, with five abstentions, after around half an hour’s debate.

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