Pre-application advice is being sought for a development of more than 100 homes at Kernick in Penryn.

The plans for The Coach House site, behind Asda supermarket, have been submitted on behalf of Bovis Homes and Walker Developments.

The development would include 103 residential units, plus a new health centre for Penryn residents and nearly 1,500 square metres of business space over three floors.

Mark Scoot from Amethyst Planning, the agent for the applicants, said: “The development forms a logical extension to the residential development being constructed to the east and the recently approved vets surgery and offices to the immediate north.

“Careful consideration has been given to ensure that this scheme represents a logical and integrated extension to the above developments and whilst they have come forward as individual application, they have evolved within an overall masterplan for the landholding.”

Responding to the pre-application, Penryn Town Council indicated its support in principle, but expressed concern over the level of affordable housing that was proposed.

In a letter to Cornwall Council’s planning department, town clerk Michelle Davey said: “On a site with 103 dwellings, a proposal for only 21 affordable dwellings falls far short of the target of 40 per cent which has been set in the draft Local Plan for this area.

“The Town Council has already given a clear indication of support for the principle of development on this site having identified it in its Town Plan as being one suitable for development.

“It would be extremely disappointing if the Town Council could not support the application because it failed to deliver an acceptable level of affordable dwellings given the dire need in the area for social and low-cost housing.”

The developers say they will consider the relationship of the application to the Cornwall Local Plan, and as well as providing both market housing and affordable housing, the delivery of the health centre will provide “much needed” community facilities with confirmed strong public support.

The development will also include onsite informal open space, and developers will provide a contribution to rebuild the towpath around College Reservoir and to improve formal open space elsewhere in Penryn.