Coachworks student flats refused planning permission by Cornwall Council

Plans for the three blocks on the site of the former Falmouth Coachworks have been refused planning permission on the grounds that they do not conform to the council's Allocations Development Plan Document, which sets out a plan led approach to development.

The plans do not fit with the council's latest planning strategy, which aims to site most new student housing development on land at or around the Penryn Campus, and away from the town centre.

AGR Living Falmouth, the developers behind the scheme, had proposed to demolish the workshops currently at the site and build three blocks of three, four, and six storeys, with a student common room, laundry and management office.

There would have been no on-site parking, with just two drop-off spaces and a cycle storage facility.

Konrad Aspinall, director of AGR Living, said at the time of the application that he appreciated student parking is "a big issue," but it would be addressed through tenancy agreements, with the option of terminating a student's lease if they brought when they moved to the area.

He also said the site would be under 24 hour management, which could prevent anti-social behaviour.

However the plans attracted 160 objections from local residents, with not one comment in support.

Many of the objectors were sceptical over the parking management claims, and believed that there would also be an increase in traffic, making an already narrow road more dangerous than it currently was.

They were also worried that the development would lead to noise and antisocial behaviour, and that flats on the top storeys would overlook neighbouring properties and spoil the look and character of the area.

And it was noted by planning officers that the owner of a garage on the site, which would have to be demolished and relocated to allow the work to go ahead, had not agreed to it happening, which was felt to be in contravention of his human rights.

In his decision notice, planning officer Phil Mason wrote: "Planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In this case by reason of its location within the town of Falmouth the proposal would be contrary to the council's strategy for providing a range of sites in and around the existing university campus at Penryn where students can both live and study in and around the same location, as set out in the Council's Site Allocations Development Plan Document."

Other grounds for refusal were given as a lack of financial contributions for off-site public open space provision, or for mitigation of the impacts of the development upon the nearby Falmouth and Helford Special Area of Conservation.