Student accommodation turned down at Ocean Bowl but approved at Packsaddle

At a meeting of the council's Central Sub-Area Planning Committee on Monday, members went against the recommendations of planning officer Mark Ball and rejected plans for the tower and block scheme in Falmouth.

It had received over 200 objections from locals, as well as failing to secure backing from organisations as diverse as A&P Falmouth, Historic England and Falmouth Town Council over issues including massing, impact on neighbours and on the setting of Pendennis Castle.

The committee voted to refuse the development due to its layout, scale, massing, height and design, which would have "an adverse impact upon the character of the area and wider townscape" and "interfere with views of the Pendennis Peninsula."

It found that "the public benefits of the development are not considered to outweigh the less than substantial harm that would be caused."

It also found that the plans did not provide "the necessary financial contributions" for highway, public open space, and mitigation works to mitigate any impacts it might have.

Meanwhile, in a vote of seven councillors to six, the committee followed Mr Ball's recommendations to approve a development of three units opposite the Penryn Campus, despite Cornwall Councillor Mary May speaking out against the plans.

The plans had also raised 36 objections from residents, as well as Penryn Town Council, who stated that it was over-development of the site and had poor highways access, as well as being likely to have a detrimental impact on local infrastructure.

But instead, the committee listened to Mr Ball, who had written in his recommendations: "The scheme has been designed in order to minimise any impacts upon the amenities of nearby residential occupiers and there would be no material impacts upon residents that would warrant refusal."

They delegated authority to the head of planning to approve the plans.