Penryn losing its green fields was the main concern raised by residents at a public consultation over a new 2,000 bed student village on the edge of the town.

Between 50 and 60 members of the public went to the Temperance Hall for the last of three local consultations with CAD Architects, discussing outline plans for the new development which would cover eight fields at Treluswell.

The plans include a park and ride, small supermarket, budget hotel, and doctors surgery, as well as cafe and other facilities for students and accommodation for 2,000, with some parking.

Penryn resident Anne Stonehill said: "the proposals look fine from what I have seen."

She said the plans looked "interesting," as long as they aren't "a way of raising the cap" on student numbers at the university.

She added that she liked the idea that third year students would also be able to live at the site rather than taking houses in Falmouth and Penryn was "a good idea," and added that it seemed to be "reasonably far" from neighbouring residents.

But she also said: "Four or five storeys seems so inappropriate for Cornwall in general, never mind here in particular. Apart from the School of Mines which is very tall, there's nothing else."

Another local resident, Bob Hodges, said he was concerned about the loss of agricultural land.

He said: "If we keep doing this and we take solar panels into account, sooner or later if you go to Asda you will have to pay £6 to buy a cauliflower. Because we will have to buy them from South America or Spain.

"Any green field site can be filled up with students, they are not looking long term, they are beginning to break the food chain."

Another Penryn resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "I think the infrastructure can't cope, Penryn has lots of student housing in it already, there's not much green space left.

"the roads are going to be completely jammed.

"I don't see any up sides to it."

She added: "Also, there's the Glasney Valley development. When that was proposed we were told there were only two sites which could be developed, and now look at this.

"It would be good if it took students out of Falmouth and Penryn, but this is to increase student [numbers]."

Martin Pollard, of AXIS planning consultants, said CAD Architects would be taking on board concerns raised at all three consultations, in Penryn, Mabe, and Ponsanooth, and returning in three months with modified plans that took into account residents' concerns.

He said one of the main concerns was parking, and although the site already had a 600-space park and ride provision which could be used by the university during term time, there were "other elements" of the scheme with their own parking and the developers would look at increasing those if necessary.

He added: "With developments like this there's opportunities for shuttle buses between the campus and the student village.. and the park and ride buses."

He also said the height of the buildings "hasn't been determined yet" and said the company would be discussing with the council landscape team.

Many residents questions were answered when he said the development would be for a mix of first, second, and third year students. He said: "We don't want it exclusively for first year students, it would be open for all.

"it's to provide that campus style environment but in a 12-room town house style."