Plans are afoot to transform College Field in Penryn from an open green space into a more formal garden designed to reflect the site's historic importance to Cornish culture.

Cornwall Council is leading a scheme which would see selected trees removed from the site, while granite paving is added and a possible medieval garden to reflect the outline of the long-vanished Glasney College which stood on the site.

Designs are currently being submitted for the heritage site, which would be subject to approval by Historic England and would also need to pass through official planning procedures and a local consultation process.

Current proposals for the field, which contains the last remaining vestige of the former medieval centre of learning, include: an altar shaped or sculpture or one shape like a medieval beehive, granite paving and medieval garden showing the outline of the church's towers, granite sett paving to show the outline of the walls, and a new entrance to the field. Early plans also suggest the use of bee motifs to "celebrate the founding of the college site by Walter Bronescombe, Bishop of Exeter" who chose the location following a vision involving bees.

Georgina Browne, a landscape architect working on the project for Conrwall Council, said: "We have been working extremely closely with the town council, looking at the design, and they will be this up with a public consultation. The stage we are currently at is looking at different designs.

"It will hopefully start next year, we have got to make an application to heritage England because it's a scheduled ancient monument site."