A plan to turn a block of garages into three houses in the centre of Helston found little support when it came before the town council.

Mr M Gordon has applied for permission to demolish the garages and build the three terraced homes on land adjacent to 40 Godolphin Road.

His agent told Helston Town Council’s planning committee that the site had previously been used as a coal yard and more recently for parking.

The proposed three-storey houses would be set back from the pavement and faced in stone with the remains of a building on the site.

He said there were potentially 12 cars currently parking on the site and the proposal was for four spaces, which he said would result in a reduction of traffic using the lane.

Members of the public also spoke, with concerns about drainage, the size of the development, an increase in traffic along Higher Well Lane and the loss of existing parking – with four parking spaces for a trio of three-bedroom houses “not sufficient.”

Following a presentation from councillor Mark Upton the committee unanimously recommended the application be refused, due to a “loss of public amenity in respect of a public view, with the increase in overall height of properties in relation to the existing wall.”