Developers looking to demolish Rebel Brewing Co. in Penryn for a multi-use industrial and student accommodation site have faced questions over how well their plans will accommodate the brewery.

David Trathen of Trathen Properties was at a meeting of Penryn Town Council's planning committee to present his plans for Century House at Parkengue, which is currently occupied by the brewery and other small industrial units.

Asked what would happen to the businesses currently occupying the site, Rebel Brewery and Venn Creative, Mr Trathen told councillors they would be offered money to help with costs of moving out and moving back into the site. They would have a six month grace period for rent when they return, then they would be paying £8-£10 per square foot, far more than they currently pay.

Councillor John Langan said: "So none of them will come back," to which Mr Trathen said: "That's not the case."

Several councillors then said they had spoken to the tenants, who had said they would not be able to move back into the site.

Mr Langan then asked "do you want a brewery back in there," to which the developers replied that they had talked about the brewery moving somewhere else and just having a brewery tap bar and sales shop on site."

The proposed edifice will cover five stories plus a smaller "half storey" on top, with five start-up business units, a shop, and social spaces on the ground floor and accommodation for 247 students above. There will be 25 parking spaces for the businesses on site, with a further 50 spaces for students on nearby land belonging to Penryn Rugby Club.

Terry Coplin, treasurer of the rugby club, was at the meeting to try and persuade the council to support the plans as they would help the club remain financially viable.

He while admitted the future of the club was not a planning, he said: "Like all rugby clubs and sports clubs income has fallen away," adding that gate and bar turnover was down. The development would provide the club with £20,000 for the first year it uses land for a car park, £22,500 for the second year, and £25,000 for the next five years, he added.

Councillors questioned claims that student accommodation would be the only way to refurbish the Century House site, which they agreed was coming to the end of its current life.

When told it was the only way to pay for the new building, Mr Langan said: "I don't believe that, you can always get the statistics you want."

He added: "it's on our industrial estate. It will be the start of the rot."

Councillor Shelley Peters asked about only having 50 parking spaces for almost 250 students, asking how a car ban would be enforced, and was told that students bringing cars would be evicted.

And councillor David Garwood pointed out that unlike the company's other projects, based in cities, Cornwall was an area where students would need or want cars even if they lived next door to campus. Mr Trathen said that the company was being generous in offering one space for five students when the Cornwall Council guidelines suggest one for every 15 or 20.

And Councillor Rich Mitchell said the company should do more to help offset parking by offering green alternatives, such as cash for cycle routes.

The plan is one of two that have been recently unveiled for the industrial estate, with another for a plot of five units including Granite Planet climbing centre.