Plans by the Catholic church to build up to 25 homes in Mullion have been declared "un-Christian" and "distressingly sad".

Villagers are said to be "in uproar" over an outline planning application to build on almost three and a half acres of undeveloped land off Polurrian Road.

A public meeting held on Monday evening was attended by 87 people, all angry about what they see as unnecessary development on an area of outstanding natural beauty bordered by Nansmellyon Road and Polurrian Road, just down from the Polurrian Hotel.

Beau Meagor, who attended the meeting, said: "The feeling in the village is absolute uproar. It's just not necessary.

"What they need is to build more council houses to rent; but this particular spot in the village is not the right place for it."

Cornwall Council has currently received eight letters from the public, all objecting.

They include one from Jacqui O'Sullivan, who has written: "How very un-Christian of the church to submit this application. This is a quiet, peaceful part of Mullion with lovely views from all around, it does not need another housing estate."

Roger Chaffin agreed: "How distressingly sad that this development should even be given consideration."

Others have pointed out that Mullion does not have the infrastructure to support that many new homes.

The May 2018 census showed Mullion Primary School as being at 89 per cent capacity and Mullion School at 97 per cent capacity, while the village's doctors' surgery was described by Mr Meagor as "over-boiling" already.

The land was left to the Diocese of Plymouth by Major Sheila Howe in her will, in order for a new Catholic church to be build there to replace the existing St Michael the Archangel on Meaver Road.

However, a spokesperson for the diocese said: "St Michael is still of sufficient size for a weekly Catholic Mass at Mullion and complements two other churches at Helston and Falmouth.

"With this in mind the diocese has carefully considered how this surplus land can help deliver its other charitable objectives such as the provision and upkeep of churches and schools, as well as other social action initiatives that address the needs of the poor and vulnerable members of the community.

"This planning application also aims to serve the community by supporting Cornwall’s housing needs as well as affordable housing for Mullion and the wider locality.

"With a severe shortage of homes for local people in Cornwall, and around 100 households registered on Cornwall Council’s Homechoice Housing Register in Mullion alone, the diocese believes it can make a positive contribution through delivering 25 new homes, to include designated affordable housing.

"The outline application which has been submitted to Cornwall Council also includes public open space for the enjoyment of the wider community."

The diocese received pre-planning advice from Cornwall Council about such a development as far back as 2013.

At the time planning officer Peter Bainbridge declared it a sustainable location and based on the “significant” need for affordable housing in the parish the council would look for 40 per cent of the development to be affordable.

He had added that the site could accommodate more than the 20 to 25 homes anticipated.

Today's planning application proposes 30 per cent of the homes would be classed 'affordable', with a range of one-bed to four-bed bungalows and 1.5 storey properties, where there was a room in the roof.

All homes would have two parking spaces, through a combination of in-curtilage parking and garages.

The current application is for outline permission only, on matters such as a vehicle access and roads, with a second application then needed to look at specific details of the homes.

In its application the diocese states it held a public consultation event in St Michael the Archangel Church at Mullion, which 78 people attended and 26 comment forms were completed.

These listed concerns over congestion, impact on road safety and services, lack of need, loss of countryside and effect on AONB.

Despite this, architects for the diocese state: "Although the consultation has generated some comments expressing concerns about certain aspects of the proposals very few adverse comments were made about the principle of development in this location."