Councillors in Penryn have dismissed plans for 58 homes on formerly high-grade agricultural land near Round Ring as "speculation."

The town's planning committee heard a presentation from Mick Roberts, a planning agent speaking on behalf of developers Pearce Fine Homes, who said plans for the houses on land at Trenance Farm would help Falmouth and Penryn meet their targets for planned development overt he next five years.

But councillors said the plans appeared to have been rushed through, especially since a previous pre-application had not supported plans for the site, although committee chairman Chris Smith said "things had moved on since then."

Councillor David Garwood said he was concerned that preliminary surveys had yet to be completed, and that the site is not on land allocated for development in the current local plan.

He said that the council had been "forced" into earmarking College Valley for housing and "don't need to be opening further sites."

He added: "It does open the floodgates to the next seven or eight fields all the way down to the church."

Councillor Mark Snowdon added that the site was "number eight or nine" on a list of potential development areas, and if the council allowed houses there it could "just choose a couple of fields anywhere."

Councillor John Langan criticised the developers for not coming to meet the council themselves, saying: "Say what you like about Mr Walker but at least he had the decency to come see us.

"This is just pure speculation. It should be bounced back and a lot more work done."

And Councillor Rich Mitchell said there was "no way" councillors could decide on an application without any information from relevant consultees, adding: "It's like someone's come along and bullied us to do something."

Mr Langan proposed that the council object due to "a woeful lack of information," adding: "And I don't trust the information we have been given.

He continued: "If they're going to put up £14million of houses the least they can do is do the stats properly."

The committee had heard a presentation by Alison Johns of Ocean Housing, which was set to receive the 20 affordable homes on the site.

She said the company would take possession of 14 rental properties and six shared ownership homes, helping to address the 490 households in need of affordable housing in the Penryn area.

Councillors also heard from Mr Roberts that consultants had addressed concerns raised in the 27 objections that have already been raised on Cornwall Council's planning website - including road safety with more traffic exiting onto Truro Hill and Church Hill - but they remained unconvinced.

When asked about section 106 provision, Mr Roberts told councillors he did not have any figures for what the site would provide for schools and surgeries. And he had no answer when MR Garwood asked when the land had been downgraded from grade two agricultural land, or how.

The council voted unanimously to object to the plans due to lack of information and potential impact on local infrastructure, including schools, health, highways, and drainage.