A councillor is being investigated by police in East Devon after allegations that he refused to disclose a financial interest in a planning application for new homes at a beauty spot.
Graham Salter, an independent member of Newton Poppleford parish council, has been referred under new laws brought in by the 2011 Localism Act.
He is the second councillor in the area to come under scrutiny, following Conservative councillor Graham Brown, who resigned his seat in March and was referred to the police by the district council.
Mr Salter, who joined the parish council in January, has twice voted to block plans to build around 40 houses, a doctor's surgery and a village hall in an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) next to his home.
The 42-year-old financial adviser denies the scheme would devalue his property, which he says stands in two acres of land and is 60 metres from the nearest planned property.
Nevertheless, he has been interviewed by officers in Honiton under caution, using powers brought in to prevent councillors profiting from their political power to approve developments.
Under the Act, police are now obliged to investigate any potential disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI), rather than a council monitoring officer.
Mr Salter said he has got "nothing to hide" and feels the referral is designed to "intimidate" him into backing down in his opposition to the project. "I am not due to make anything out of the application but simply representing a group of concerned residents," he told the WMN.
"The number of houses is the village's target number to be built between now and 2026 – residents would prefer smaller developments of seven or eight homes at a time.
"I cannot find out who has made the complaint just that it came from another councillor – I think it is an attempt to get me to step away."
The plans, proposed by Clinton Devon Estates for 40 homes on land south of King Alfred Way, will next month be decided by East Devon district council's development management committee.
At a rowdy parish council meeting on Monday, which attracted 55 members of the public and ended at close to 11pm, the scheme was refused by five votes to four, though the decision is not binding as the district council is the planning authority.
This is the second application, which comes after a similar previous scheme was also not supported by the parish. Villagers are angry that talks had taken place between parish councillors, Clinton Devon Estates and East Devon District Council officers.
Christine Channon, a Conservative county councillor, said this week's meeting had been "chaotic". She said she did not support the scheme because of concerns over the increase in traffic along the already busy A3052 as well its scale and impact on the AONB. Devon and Cornwall police confirmed that it was investigating an alleged offence under the Localism Act 2011.