Plans for 70 flats and a bowling green by a care home complex in Swansea have been turned down, with one councillor advising the applicant to "go back and try a bit harder next time".
The scheme put forward in Winch Wen also included a community building, shop and office space.
Applicant Desmond Davies wanted to build the flats in a series of blocks by Hengoed Park and Hengoed Court care homes, Cefn Hengoed Road.
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Forty-six of the flats were two-bedroom and for the over-55s, the remaining 24 one-bed flats were aimed at students and staff employed at the care homes.
Council planning officers said the principle of development was acceptable, but they had several concerns about the scheme. Recommending it for refusal by the council's planning committee, they said it was cramped, would result in overlooking, lacked parking spaces and would have harmful highway impacts.
Planning agent Geraint John, on behalf of Mr Davies, asked the committee to defer a decision, arguing that he had not been given sufficient time by the planning department to respond to their concerns.
He said he would have "readily agreed" to a time extension had it been offered.
The scheme, he added, would have "considerable health and well-being benefits".
Addressing the committee, ward councillor Mandy Evans said many people living in the area were worried about the proposal.
"Residents are deeply, deeply concerned about the wider impact on the highways," she said.
A masterplan for the wider site indicates a total of 164 potential units, including the 70 proposed in the scheme before the committee. Future phases would, if approval was given, include more units for the over-55s and an allotment.
Cllr Mary Jones said she was "quite shocked" at the magnitude of the proposal, particularly as there was a site of special scientific interest close by.
Cllr Will Evans proposed deferring a decision to give the agent more time to respond, but he withdrew it after a planning officer gave a timeline of the application process involved and said the department's concerns were "fundamental".
Cllr Des Thomas said the committee had considered a number of schemes of late which he and his colleagues agreed would be a nice place to live.
"I'm afraid we can't say that about this application," he said.
In a comment aimed at the agent and applicant, he added: "Go back and try a bit harder next time."
Cllr Mike White agreed, saying: "I think it needs to go back to the drawing board."
The committee voted unanimously in favour of the recommendation to refuse the scheme.
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