Residents of Mabe showed up in droves to object to a housing development which could see one of Cornwall's last granite quarries shut down.

Penryn's Temperance Hall hosted a public meeting over the controversial plans to build 27 homes on land off Antron Way in Mabe Burnthouse.

A total of 30 speakers from Mabe presented their objections to planning officers and Cornwall councillors.

Philip Hosken spoke proudly about the quarry which his family had been involved with for several generations.

He said: “I have an idea there is history being made tonight, and I don’t mean Brexit.

“If this development goes ahead and as a result that quarry has to close I suggest one thing. The last gravestone that comes from that quarry should be inscribed with the names of those people responsible for making that decision and where that goes I don’t know. Otherwise the records and pieces of paper will record what happened but it could be forgotten.

“Those names will last a thousand years and when people come to look around this place they will say, ‘there was a quarry here but these were the people responsible for allowing this indsicriminate development’.”

His speech was welcomed with cheers from the packed hall.

The meeting was called after a planning application for the development went before Cornwall Council’s west sub-area planning committee last month.

There are fears among residents that the development could lead to the closure of Trenoweth Quarry which sits next to the site.

Residents have also said that there is no need for more affordable housing in the village and say the new homes would put more pressure on local infrastructure. They also say that an increase in traffic in the area would be dangerous.

There are also concerns that the development will lead to more applications for more homes being built on neighbouring land.

Councillor Mark Kaczmarek, chairman of the planning committee assured residents that their concerns would be taken into account.

Several employees from development company attended the meeting but came under fire for not identifying themselves.

Peter Williams, the local Cornwall councillor, was also criticised.

Mabe parish councillor Tessa Kingsley told the meeting: “He hasn’t been to the parish council for six months and he wasn’t there at the last meeting. He can’t know how we feel about this development. He is in no position to represent us at the moment.”

David Toms highlighted the work of the quarry in creating a statue of St Piran which was transported to France last year.

He said: “The St Piran sculpture to me is one of the greatest things that has come out of Cornwall. It seems to me that Cornwall Council is putting the quarry in jeopardy.”

There were strong concerns that if the housing development went ahead there would soon be noise complaints from residents about the work at the quarry.

Many fear that those complaints would lead to the quarry closing, bringing to an end an historic industry in Mabe.

The objectors pleaded with the Cornwall councillors present to listen to their concerns and refuse planning permission.

The planning application is due to go before the committee again on February 11, and an agenda will be published on the council's website on February 7.