Behind Frome's quaint exterior, its residents are facing a housing crisis, with soaring rents and battles over new developments, as ITV News Investigations Editor Dan Hewitt reportsWith its cobbled streets and artisan shops, Frome often appears at the top of ‘best place to live’ lists.
“Born and bred,” she says proudly. Now a mum of two, we meet her at breakfast time in the kitchen of her childhood home, where she is living. Just two minutes drive down the road from Lucy’s house is a 240-acre site where developers are proposing to build 1,700 new homes, of which they say more than 500 will be affordable.
Tina is part of a local campaign group to stop the development happening. So far, they’ve been pretty successful; the plans were submitted to the council three years ago and are still yet to be approved. When we ask them if their opposition is typical of those who are against development in their local area - NIMBYism, or 'not in my back yard'.Frome is not alone in its housing struggle; planning approvals have slumped everywhere. Almost 30% fewer homes were approved to be built in Britain last year compared to 2019.