Local people are now in the way of Falmouth University's expansion plans according to one councillor who spoke out as the town council agreed to oppose an application which would allow an extra 2,500 students to be enrolled on the Penryn Campus.

The town council's planning committee was debating the application to vary a condition on the campus' original permission and raise the cap on student numbers from 5,000 to 7,500 by 2024. Only the week before Cornwall Council's strategic planning committee had deferred making a decision until its meeting in March.

Cllr Steve Eva suggested the town council should not oppose the application, but come up with a list of conditions which should be imposed. "I believe no matter what we say, Cornwall Council will allow the increase to 7,500," he said. "The university is not in Falmouth now, Falmouth is in the university. It's as if the townspeople are in the way."

Town and county councillor Candy Atherton, however, addressed members of the town's planning committee and urged them to oppose the application. "After a number of years, finally Cornwall Council officers and members are starting to wake up and understand it's not all milk and honey in Falmouth, having a university," she said.

"I do believe many Cornwall councillors looked with great envy at us in Falmouth because of the economic benefits, but it was supposed to operate on a hub and rim basis. The universities have turned their back on the hub and rim principle to the detriment of the rest of Cornwall and to the detriment of Falmouth and Penryn. I think we should stand our ground and oppose this but have a list of conditions if it is approved."

Mayor Grenville Chappel, who is chair of the planning committee, said: "We are very happy to have the university here, it's just about putting the right controls in so we can live in harmony. It's not a case that we don't want the university, it's getting it so it does not take over our lives entirely - it's about getting the balance."

The committee is recommending that the application to raise the cap is refused by Cornwall Council due to the adverse impact it would have on the community without adequate local infrastructure improvements being in place first. As such, the increase would place an "onerous burden" upon community services and damage the integrity of the balance of the local housing stock, further damaging "community cohesion."