An investigation into the decision to approve plans for more than 300 homes in Cockermouth has been expanded after an allegation that a councillor failed to declare an interest in the plan.

The Local Government Ombudsman is investigating Allerdale council's handling of Story Homes's planning application for land at Strawberry How.

The plan was given the go-ahead in December, despite 875 letters of objection.

Now the watchdog has written to the council asking for more information after it emerged a complaint had been made about Councillor Jim Lister's involvement in the development panel meeting that made the decision.

The complaint, made to the council, alleges that Coun Lister failed to disclose a financial interest in the application.

It is not known who made the complaint or what interest Coun Lister is alleged to have had.

Coun Lister's registers of interests as both Allerdale councillor for Solway ward and county councillor for Aspatria show no obvious link to Story Homes or the development.

The investigator has asked the council to comment on the allegation.

The council's decision to approve the housing plan came at a development panel meeting attended by 45 people.

It followed four hours of debate and discussion.

The authority agreed to grant full planning permission for 96 houses and outline permission for a further 224 homes off Strawberry How Road.

A vote for approval was taken following a proposal from Coun Lister, seconded by Coun Peter Bales.

The vote saw three councillors vote in favour, four against and four abstain.

A fresh motion for approval was put forward by Coun Bales, seconded by Coun Lister, and members voted in the same way.

A motion to refuse the scheme because the development would affect the character of the area, put forward by Coun Nicky Cockburn, failed to attract a seconder so no vote was taken.

It was only after a 15-minute break, during which the council's head of governance Sharon Sewell spoke to panel members, that voting changed.

Coun Bales proposed approval again, seconded by Coun Lister, and a third vote was taken, which was four-three in favour of the scheme. 

It was previously revealed that the ombudsman had received multiple complaints about the decision, which it planned to investigate collectively.

The complaints centred on allegations that the council failed to properly consider objections to the plans and failed to follow proper process and act transparently when voting.

As well as asking for comment about the complaint relating to Coun Lister, the ombudsman's investigator has now asked the council what consideration it gave to reporting the advice given to members during the break, and who was present while that advice was given.

The council has been asked to respond by next Friday. Oct16

The ombudsman has not revealed how many complaints it received about the plans but Jim Hully, chairman of Sustainable Cockermouth, a group set up to oppose the development, said previously that he knew of at least 20. 

A council spokeswoman said that no decision had yet been made in relation to the complaint against Coun Lister as more information was being sought.

She added that the result of the standards inquiry would be sent to the ombudsman as soon as a decision was made.

The council has been asked to respond with this information, and additional information about the Development Panel meeting, by October 16.

There is no set timescale for the ombudsman to investigate complaints.

Coun Lister was unavailable for comment.