PLANS for a major regeneration project in Truro will have to be handled carefully and ensure benefits for the city.

That is the view of two local councillors following the announcement that Cornwall Council is looking to lead the way on developing a site in Pydar Street.

The city centre site, which is owned by the council, currently has the former Carrick District Council offices and Viaduct car park as well as several other buildings.

Next week a report will go to the council’s Cabinet asking councillors to approve taking a lead on the scheme and spending more than £3million on getting the outline business case and plans drawn up.

Under the proposals the council is looking to have academic space, 340-bed student accommodation,  300 homes, a 60-bed hotel, offices, shops and more on the site.

Truro councillor Rob Nolan said that he welcomed the plans but said that the council had to tread carefully.

He said: “If we bring in a faculty from Falmouth University it will relieve the pressure on Falmouth. We could have 800 to 1,000 students which could be worth £200,000 a week or £9m a year, a significant amount that would be spent in the high street and the night-time economy.

“But what we don’t want is the problems that Falmouth has with student lets. We are, right now, reviewing the neighbourhood plan and we should use that to control where the students go.

“With all that is going on at Langarth and Willow Green we can build student accommodation up there and ensure that homes in Truro are not taken over for students.”

Cllr Nolan also said that there needed to be proper consultation with people in Truro right from the start.

He said that any planning application would not come forward for at least a year but said that architects could be appointed and start in November.

“When they are appointed we want some sort of meeting and get the feedback of what people would like to see up there,” he said.

“Right at the beginning, start the consultation. And when the planning application goes in there will be a public meeting about the plans.”

Fellow councillor Dulcie Tudor said that the consultants and architects who work on the scheme should be from Cornwall.

She said that while she understood that the council would have to put out a tender for the work they could “they can ensure that any bid from a Cornish based company isn’t ruled out”.

“We would tell them ‘don’t go for the cheapest option’ use the one which is best suited to the project. I see no reason why the contract can’t be given to a Cornish firm, we have got people here who could do this work.

“Wouldn’t it be a shame if a firm from London was brought in to do it?”

Cllr Tudor also has concerns about the 300 homes which could be built on the site which the council has said could include 70 affordable homes and 30 available under shared ownership.

The Threemilestone councillor said: “I want to see 100% affordable housing being provided on that site, not the council building housing and renting it at market rates or selling it at market price.

“We need proper affordable housing for professional who work in Truro. It is a sad day if we can’t do that on our own land.

“There is a block between what is good for the community and what is good for the council in terms of investment.”

Cllr Tudor said that she would like to see the site remain under the council’s ownership and that any affordable homes should be affordable for life.

She added: “There is a real opportunity here to do something which will help the community.”

Cornwall Council’s Cabinet will meet on Wednesday to discuss the plans.