The block of student accommodation proposed for the site of the former Rosslyn Hotel in Falmouth is a "Colditz" style building which is too big and in the wrong place, it was claimed at a council meeting this week.

The proposals for 117 student beds, along with a residents' lounge, fitness room, cinema and 18 parking spaces, have been submitted by Studious Building (Falmouth) Ltd and are a revision of a previous scheme for 128 beds.

Falmouth Town Council's planning committee debated the scheme on Monday night at a meeting attended by several members of the Save Our Falmouth Group and neighbouring residents. Pam Cowan told councillors the new plans do not diminish the impact on residents, adding: "It is still more suited to a large city, not a small Cornish town."

She referred to the development as a "Colditz-style building" which is not in the right place with insufficient infrastructure to support it and said there was a danger of creating a "student village" in the area as there is already a HMO next door and approval for 14 more student beds across the road.

Councillors are also not happy with the proposals with the planning committee voting unanimously to recommend that Cornwall Council refuse the application on the grounds of massing and appearance, that it would be visually obtrusive and have an adverse impact on neighbouring properties.

Cllr Rowenna Brock said: "This sort accommodation is better for the wider area in that it would hopefully remove students from family homes and we would have them in properly managed accommodation with people on duty 24 hours a day.

"But, what seems to have happened is the developers have completely run away with it and instead of having half the number of beds, they are trying to shove in as many as they can and that is what is wrong. This is the right idea, but the wrong amount, the wrong massing and in the wrong place."

Cllr Steve Eva said he still had concerns over road safety. "This is on the main route to the school with 1,000 students using it and it's a fast road as well," he said. "There are no parking restrictions outside so if they started putting cars outside as well - it's bad enough now."

He also felt the development was no suitable for the area. "The building is just far too big," he said. "This building can be seen from almost anywhere in Falmouth - it's a prominent building. It is the wrong place. I do agree with this king of accommodation to spare houses going into student use, but you have to put them in sensible places and this is just not a sensible place."