Walker Developments has offered Penryn councillors what it sees as a compromise to only build over half of the fields in the lower half of its land at College Valley.

In a closed meeting between Richard Walker and Damien Burley, of Walker Developments, and Penryn Town Council, offered to withdraw plans to build on four acres of difficult to develop terrain below College Hill, which the council had already believed were protected.

But councillors said the company was not really offering a compromise and was trying to dress up its own planning considerations as an offer to the town.

Councillor Chris Smith said the town council had to represent the will of the people, and the development of the lower fields would be provocative, while Councillor Mark Snowdon recognised that the developer wanted to maximise profits but it would be better to build above College Hill.

Mr Snowdon added that the town council and Cornwall Council had both agreed that the evidence pointed to College Valley as being the most viable site for development, but that the land beneath the road should remain untouched.

Councillors reminded the company that the lower valley was not in the area outlined for housing in Cornwall Council's Development Plan Document (DPD), which could make it more difficult to obtain planning permission.

Mr Smith said it was recognised that removing the fields would reduce the amount of affordable homes, although Mr Snowdon suggested increasing the density of housing above College Hill, and Councillor Gill Grant said councillors believed Walker Developments had been permitted to add housing to their Kernick development in exchange for leaving the lower valley untouched.

Mr Snowdon also asked about the percentage of affordable housing, as a previous Walker development at College Farm had only delivered 10 per cent affordable.

The developers replied that it had already removed plans for the upper part of the lower fields in favour of open space. They said the application needed to be robust in planning terms, and the land offered was almost on the skyline, visible from the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and was also very steep.

They added that if the land below College Hill was not up for discussion, they could just submit an application for the land above.

The company said that increasing the housing density on the lower area of the upper fields would increase the requirement for affordable housing provision, and if they simply wanted to get the most out of the land they would have included the whole of the lower fields.

Walker Developments said it was already offering to turn 120 acres of the green field site into open space which could be signed over to the town, along with 2.5 acres of allotments, and without te development South West Water might fence off some of its own land from the public.

But Councillor Rich Mitchell said the company had offered no compromise, while Councillor John Langan said most of the land offered could not be built on anyway.

Councillors also asked what would prevent a separate application for the lower fields at a later date.

Mr Snowdon said the council would consider any application on its merits when it was submitted, and the council has since said there will be no further meetings until an application is submitted.