“Residents Deserve Better”: MP Anna Sabine Calls Out Planning Process Over Selwood Garden Community Inquiry

“Residents Deserve Better”: MP Anna Sabine Calls Out Planning Process Over Selwood Garden Community Inquiry

Anna Sabine, Member of Parliament for Frome & East Somerset, has expressed frustration with the decision to hold the Selwood Garden Community Inquiry in Shepton Mallet, rather than in Frome, where the development will have the greatest impact. This follows the announcement that the discussion, although accessible online as well, will be held in Shepton Mallet despite calls from residents for it to be moved to Frome. 

Anna formally raised concerns with Somerset Council and the Planning Inspectorate about the location of the inquiry, echoing views of Frome residents to felt locked out of a process which they should be central to. However the reply she has received today from the Council states that it will remain in Shepton Mallet as planned. 

“This letter is disappointing,” said Ms Sabine. “The people of Frome deserve to be at the heart of decisions that directly affect their town. 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” she said. “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.”

Although the inquiry will be webcast, Ms Sabine says that’s no substitute for physical access: “Not everyone has the time, confidence or digital access to follow hours of hearings online. Being in the room matters, especially when so many are already sceptical about whether they’re really being listened to.”

Anna is calling on councils to be more responsive to the communities they serve and recognise that particularly in areas like ours, the decision makers should be going out to the public, not expecting them to travel, sometimes with significant inconvenience.

“It’s time we stopped treating local input as an inconvenience. Frome residents have made their voices heard. I will keep standing up for their right to be part of the process, not pushed to the sidelines.”