Falmouth councillors have accused a developer who wants to add an extra two bedrooms to a previously approved scheme for student accommodation of being “greedy” and say the proposals would encroach on local residents.

Last year Cornwall Council approved proposals to demolish the existing building at 1 Trescobeas Road and replace it with a 15 bedroom block of student accommodation. A new application has now been submitted showing a revised design which includes an additional single storey extension to house two more bedrooms.

It provoked a backlash from councillors when the application went before Falmouth’s planning committee last week. Steve Eva said: “I was against this to start with because there were a lot of objectors who live behind there who were not too happy. This actually puts students closer to those people and I’m not happy with that.

“They have got planning permission and now they want to get closer to the objectors than they were before. I think they should stick to the old application.”

Councillor Vicky Eva added: “It’s over-development. I just think it’s being greedy, to achieve two extra units when they have got a huge plan already approved.”

Councillor Alan Jewell agreed: “It’s taking another piece of that open space away. It’s getting a bit greedy, it’s one step too far. They should be happy with what they have got.”

Objections have also been lodged on Cornwall Council’s website. Falmouth Civic Society says: “We consider this over development and un-neighbourly. Two more units would further encroach on green space and would add to the traffic at an already very busy junction, on a road that has the hospital, surgery, fire station and school.”

Resident Richard Shapland says: “I write to object to the increase of two additional bedrooms to the development, making parking of cars a bigger problem, increasing the footprint of the development and reducing the 'green space', i.e. the garden which I understand is of importance to any planning application. This is over development of the site and the application should be refused.”

Falmouth’s planning committee is recommending that Cornwall Council refuse the application on grounds that it is over-development, un-neighbourly, an inappropriate design and because of loss of amenity space.