INVERCLYDE Council has yet to launch an investigation into allegations that a councillor who opposed a major development near his home tried to manipulate the planning process.

Municipal Buildings chiefs were made aware of the serious claims against Innes Nelson and stated they were keeping the matter 'under review' in the run-up to the recent local authority elections.

Following Councillor Nelson's re-election to represent the Inverclyde South West ward, no formal inquiry has been launched into the allegations, as officials continue to consider the matter.

It is alleged that the SNP man — who voted against a proposed £100m transformation of Spango Valley — submitted objections regarding the former IBM site in the names of his neighbours.

The Telegraph told earlier this month how Cllr Nelson had been served with a legal letter by lawyers acting for property tycoons Sandy and James Easdale — a copy of which was also sent to the council.

The allegations are understood to centre around apparent objections made in 2017 to a proposed change of use in the council's local development plan from industrial to mixed use at Spango Valley — which sits near Councillor Nelson's Chrisswell Farm home.

In his capacity as a member of the planning board — a quasi judicial body — Mr Nelson moved an amendment earlier this year to back a recommendation by officials to limit the number of new homes at the Easdale-owned site to 270 instead of a proposed 450.

He made the move — which was carried by five votes to four — after the Inverclyde businessmen had publicly declared that the limit could make the development financially unviable.

Asked if the council's review of the allegations against Councillor Nelson had become an investigation in the wake of his re-election, a Municipal Buildings spokesman said that the review process was 'still ongoing'.

A spokesman for Sandy and James Easdale said: "Despite First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's demand for 100,000 new houses in Scotland, Greenock finds itself in limbo with the IBM site and the confusion and indecision that has taken hold of the planning department and its officers.

"We remain deeply concerned about the vested interests that have derailed the project and our legal team continue to review the situation."

Councillor Nelson has not responded to the Telegraph's repeated requests for comment on the matter.