Farnborough resident Keith Parkins has accused three members of Rushmoor’s development control committee of “contempt” for voting to grant outline planning permission to develop north Queensmead.

The planning application includes demolishing Firgrove Court, a Pavilion Housing Association building, to make way for the scheme.

Mr Parkins claims the councillors, all Pavilion board members, have a conflict of interest and should not have voted on the project at a meeting on June 2.

The Standards Board for England this week confirmed that Labour’s Sue Dibble, Liberal Democrat Charlie Fraser-Fleming and Tory Roger Kimber are all under investigation.

Mr Parkins, a strong critic of the KPI development scheme, said all three councillors spoke in favour of the scheme at a development control committee meeting.

He claimed that Pavilion stood to gain a lot of money from the sale of the land, and added: “You can’t wear two hats simultaneously. It’s clearly a prejudicial interest.

“They sit on the board of Pavilion and they are kicking out tenants at Firgrove Court. Without selling it the redevelopment can’t go ahead.”

If any of the trio are found to have breached the national code of conduct they could be disqualified from serving as councillors for up to five years.

Mr Parkins said he hoped the Board would take a tough stand on what he considered “blatant” bad behaviour.

“The way they have behaved is corrupt. Residents have had enough of people who show contempt for the public and due process,” he added.

But Cllr Fraser-Fleming said he did nothing wrong and was nominated to the Pavilion board as a representative of Rushmoor Council.

He added: “We are not normal board members who are elected. We don’t get paid as members of this board so there is no financial interest. If there were I would not have stayed (to vote).”

He said all three declared their interests at the meeting and denied the Firgrove tenants were being unfairly treated.

“You have to look at the whole picture. The tenants will get new homes provided and the scheme itself will benefit everyone, local businesses and residents alike.”

Two years ago Cllr Sue Dibble was accused of failing to declare an interest in the Manor Park housing development. Although the Standards Board for England found she had breached the code of conduct it did not take further action.

Responding to the latest allegations, she said she had acted on the advice of the borough solicitor and was confident she had nothing to worry about from the investigation.

Labour leader Cllr Keith Dibble said she and the other councillors criticised by Mr Parkins all took legal advice from Rushmoor Council on the town centre planning application and declared an interest at council meetings.

Rushmoor solicitor Karen Limmer declined to comment on the investigation.

She said it was for the Standards Board for England to decide whether the councillors breached the code of conduct.

The rules say that where a member is nominated to represent the council it is for them to decide whether it is prejudicial or not.

Plans by developer KPI to develop north Queensmead were approved last July but were sent back to the drawing board after a Firgrove Court resident applied for a judicial review.

The judge accepted the resident’s concern over the handling of the application at a hearing in February.

Last week the development control committee agreed outline planning permission following the government’s approval for the matter to proceed.

Under the plans Firgrove Court will not be demolished until the completion of a new housing scheme at the former Solartron site.