Penzance Town Council has formally objected to plans to build up to 320 homes on a site close to the town.

Devonshire Homes has submitted a full planning application for the development on land at Trannack Farm, Heamoor.

Under the plans 30% of the homes would be affordable with a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership properties. The developer said in its plans that the homes would only use 25% of land on the site with the majority being left as open space.

Earlier this week Penzance Town Council held an extraordinary meeting of its planning committee to consider the plans and invited local people to give their views. The meeting ended with the council agreeing to object to the application.

The council said that there was a “lack of safe access” to and from the development with particular concerns about the “dangerous nature” of a planned pedestrian crossing over the busy A30. They also said that the design of the development would be “out of keeping with the local vernacular”.

Councillors also cited the “overbearing nature” of the proposals and loss of privacy for people living near the site as well as the lack of an adequate flood risk assessment. The council also said that there would be “overcrowding” on the site, saying that it was only allocated for 290 homes and not the 320 proposed.

During their discussion the committee raised all the concerns highlighted in their formal objection. The draft minutes state: “The development proposal, as set out, made little effort to provide adequate pedestrian links to either Penzance, Heamoor or Gulval and, despite there being capacity for an increase in the numbers of children in local primary schools, the proposed A30 crossing would be of such a dangerous nature that it would prevent any parents or children from being able to travel on foot.

“In addition, the two local secondary schools were currently either at or over capacity and the proposed financial contributions for education would in no way address the additional funding which would be required to cater for the young people who would inevitably live on the development.”

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It also recorded: “The design of the properties within the development appeared to have been based upon a single property, namely a watermill, which existed in the area. No account had been taken of the historic design of the majority of buildings in the local area and the proposal would be entirely out of keeping with the local vernacular.”

The council’s proposal to object to the application was supported unanimously by members of the committee. A final decision on the application will be made by Cornwall Council at a later date.

Devonshire Homes is set to hold a public exhibition of the development proposals on Monday March 20 at Pulse Venue, Heamoor, from 12.30pm to 6pm. To view the proposals and submit comments search for planning application number PA22/11412 on Cornwall Council’s planning portal.