CHANGES to a plan to build 274 homes on the outskirts of Truro, which has been dubbed “utter madness” and “monstrous”, will be decided at County Hall tomorrow.

An extraordinary meeting of Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee will meet at 10am to discuss the controversial development on land at Dudman Farm.

The application by Wain Homes seeks reserved matters consent to include access, layout and landscaping, following outline approval for “up to 275 dwellings” in a valley near the Highertown and Penweathers areas of the city.

The development would be divided in two, with 199 houses in Dudman East and 75 in Dudman West. The two areas are separated by an area of public open space, which would also host proposed drainage infrastructure. An early years play facility is proposed in Dudman West.

The development would be accessed from Navigator Way and Carrine Road, then join the A390.

Planning officer James Moseley recommends approval subject to conditions. The scheme has been amended following initial feedback and is now considered acceptable, according to the council’s planning department.

An online petition opposing the development received over 1,000 signatures and there is growing opposition to the revised proposals on Cornwall Council’s online planning portal, with over 120 comments from members of the public.

Cllr Rob Nolan (Truro Boscawen and Redannick division) said: “When outline planning permission was given back in 2014, [the neighbouring] Pen an Dre estate didn’t really exist, so residents weren’t able to say what they thought about hundreds of extra vehicles using their estate road to access the new development.

“Worse still, the road runs past a children’s play area, where there are already concerns for children’s safety crossing the road.

“Carrine Road residents are no happier with their estate getting extra traffic. This is a steeply sloping site, where we already have issues with flooding and run-off.

“Why not send these applicants over to Langarth, where the council has permission for over 4,000 houses and is building the roads, sewerage and providing quality infrastructure? Surely that should be developed before we build over a beautiful valley site.”

But a planning report for next week’s committee meeting states: “The level of harm is not considered so significant as to outweigh the social and economic benefits of a housing scheme in an accessible location which will make a significant contribution to housing supply”.

Truro City Council recommended refusal last month on grounds including design, overdevelopment of a difficult site and impacts on flora and fauna. “Some of the properties only just meet the minimum space standard … the affordable housing and sale-to-rent ratios are not up to policy requirements.”

The proposal includes 90 affordable homes, split into 39 shared ownership and 51 affordable rent.

Kenwyn Parish Council has also objected.