COUNCILLORS have objected to a proposal to redevelop an iconic house instead of demolishing it and building nine apartments next door over parking concerns.

A proposal to keep the existing Captain's House in the Liner Development and build nine apartments on the old Tremor site next to it was rejected by Falmouth Town Council's planning committee on Monday night.

The original plan had been to demolish the house on Stracey Road in the grounds of the development at St Michael's Hotel and replace it with 14 residential apartments over the Captain's House and Tremor site.

But at a meeting of Falmouth Town Council's planning committee on Monday night, developer Nigel Carpenter told councillors he now wanted to refurbish the Captain's House with eight luxury bedrooms.

A development of nine new apartments would be built on the old Tremor site between the house and Abbeyfield Care Home next door.

He said the variation on the plan would create eight new full time jobs, retain one of the better buildings on Stracey Road and would mean just developing the Tremor site for smaller apartments.

He said a one-metre boundary would be inserted between Abbeyfield property line and Tremor.

Quoting a heritage impact assessment Mr Carpenter said: "Support for this proposal will enable the satisfactory completion of the works at St Michael's resort and result in the retention of the Captain's House which is a building of note within the conservation area.

"The scale and the impact of the reduced scheme will minimise the level of change within the conservation area and are seen as a positive step.

"Overall the proposals are considered to have less than significant impact on the character of the conservation area and are further welcomed as they have less impact than the previously approved scheme."

He said the councillors's support was vital as it was an improved scheme, would create more jobs and economic development, there would be less development and retention of the Captain's House and it would be no taller than the neighbouring Abbeyfield building.

But councillor John Spargo said there seemed to be a parking issue with spaces having been taken away. "Reading the letters of objection the main issue seems to be parking in the area," he said "Taking car parking spaces from somebody else and giving them to your building seems ridiculous.

"There is the potential for more than one person in those flats and each person will have their own car, that's nine. I don't feel they have enough down for parking. I don't like the look of the building design. It doesn't quite fit in like the other buildings, doesn't have the same feel. This one seems to have been 'how big can we get something and fit it in'.

He added: "It is woefully short of what is needed. I just don't see how you expect us to be happy with what you have come up with."

Mr Carpenter said they had created a total of seven parking spaces but there would be less need for parking.

The case officer recommended that the application should be refused on overdevelopment and the overlooking of Abbeyfield care home next door.

Councillors turned down the application on the grounds that there was insufficient parking and that it was taking parking spaces away from "someone else".

The proposal will now go before Cornwall Council.