Truro City Council has called for revised plans for Higher Newham Farm to be refused planning permission.

New plans have been submitted for the site on the outskirts of the city centre to build up to 242 houses.

The new proposals have come forward after outline planning permission was granted in 2016 for 155 homes and a community farm on the site.

However the former owner was unable to proceed with the development and sold the land at the end of 2018 to developers Places for People and Zone C.

Now they have submitted two planning applications for the site with a reserved matters for the original 155-houses plan and a new application for an additional 87 homes.

Places for People – which was also behind the housing development at the Tregurra park and ride and Waitrose site in Truro – said that by increasing the number of houses on the site it will be able to increase the proportion of affordable housing.

A design and access statement submitted as part of the application states: “The proposed increase in total housing numbers on the site by 87

dwellings has primarily been possible due to the to the affordable housing model proposed, which includes a higher percentage of smaller 1-2 bedroom flats and 2-3 bedroom housing suitable for first time buyers, downsizers and meeting the needs of local affordable housing requirements.”

Under the previous plans one of the former farm buildings would have been demolished but the new design proposes the demolition of “further buildings”.

Read more: Mid-Devon solar farm planned that's bigger than Vatican City

As with the existing outline permission, the new plans also include an access point from Morlaix Avenue near Arch Hill which would be traffic-light controlled.

The design and access statement says, with regards to the design: “A traditional architectural approach was adopted in the form of an estate village where the entire development should feel as if it was designed, planned and built as a single composition. Truro, and several smaller Cornish market towns, have a tradition of classical building where the architectural design is relatively unified, sharing a common palette of materials and simple proportions throughout.”

A photo of Lemon Street in Truro is included in the design and access document stating that the “architectural language provides a model for Higher Newham”.

However the plans were unanimously objected to by Truro City Council’s planning committee when it recently considered them.

Among the objections is the “unacceptable” access from Morlaix Avenue, unacceptable pedestrian access, “unacceptable” levels of affordable housing and concerns about the water run-off and drainage at the site.

The applications will be decided by Cornwall Council at a later date. To comment on them go to the Cornwall Council planning website – the application numbers are PA19/01094 and PA19/07322.