Residents are opposing plans to build six apartments in a four storey building which would block views to Penryn River, have won the support of town councillors who are urging Cornwall Council to refuse the application.

Nick Voller and David Tonkin are behind the scheme which would see five two-bedroom and one three-bedroom apartments built on land at 20 North Parade in Falmouth which is currently home to a four bedroom bungalow and a one-bedroom self-contained flat and garden.

A neighbouring site has consent for nine apartments fronting North Parade and four homes on the river frontage which are currently being built.

When the proposals for number 20 went before Falmouth’s planning committee, Mr Voller attended along with several residents who are vehemently against the scheme, including the owner of the property next door.

He said, if built, the flats would “significantly overshadow” his property and would “rob” him of his privacy.

Anne Marie Sincock also spoke against the scheme, reminding councillors that a few years ago plans for 50 apartments along North Parade had been turned down, and raising concerns that there was a danger that a similar number of flats would now be created “but in smaller instalments” taking into account other nearby developments.

She said: “Falmouth is a beautiful town but if you keep allowing these concrete, high rise buildings there will be no river views and the people of Falmouth will be losing an asset.

“This development is not in keeping with the street scene and in my view is a gross over-development of a beautiful and picturesque road into Falmouth town centre.”

Councillor Steve Eva said: “Basically this is all wrong.

“It’s a nice road and if this goes ahead it’s going to be the next one and then the next one and we will end up with the 50 flats and not being able to see anything of the river.

“It is over-development, over-bearing and un-neighbourly because of the loss of light and the impact on the neighbour. There is also the loss of the view which is very important.”

Committee chairman, Councillor Grenville Chappel added: “Because there is one, it doesn’t mean we have to end up with high rise all the way along there, round the corner to Penryn and on to Mylor.”

The committee unanimously agreed to recommend Cornwall Council refuse the application due to over-development, loss of view from the water and the road and loss of light and privacy and being over-bearing to the neighbour.