Controversial plans to build 49 homes on the Malpas Road, just outside Truro, will come before Carrick district council's planning committee tonight.

The proposed development on the former Trennick House site has been slammed as "wholly inappropriate for the area" by Truro city council.

Developers Cornish Homes want to build 22 three-bedroom houses and 27 flats, as well as garages and car parks, on the site.

Planning officer Robert Lacey, in his report to the committee, accepts the controversial nature of the site and has recommended the planning committee refuse the scheme planning permission.

Mr Lacey says the site is an acceptable one for homes but the Cornish Homes scheme is not the correct one for the site.

He says: "The proposed scheme would fail to provide the quality of design and layout that is required to fully integrate the residential units into this special site."

The area used to be occupied by a small country house, up until the late 1980's, when it was torn down. Meaning it falls within the government's definition of previously developed land.

But nature has reclaimed the area and Mr Lacey describes it as now looking like parkland.

He says there are now a large number of trees on the site, including some covered by tree preservation orders.

The planning committee has also received a letter from a local resident objecting to the scheme on the grounds there are badgers living on the site.