Unpopular plans to transform a community pub into flats have been given the backing of council officers despite an ongoing investigation into allegations of wrongdoing.

Last week, the councillor in charge of development policy, Andrew Judge (Labour), turned down a request to ask Merton Council’s planning committee, which meets tonight, to defer Reef Estate’s planning application for the Morden Tavern in Central Road.

A decision by the committee to approve the application would seal a deal made with Reef Estates to sell the Merton Council-owned pub for a rumoured £1m.

The officers’ recommendation comes despite nearly 900 letters of objection submitted by residents after campaigners said the pub was still needed in the area and accusations that the council has broken its own planning rules.

Neighbouring Morden Councillor Richard Hilton (Conservative) said he make the request to Coun Judge because, he said, the council should not approve a deal while officers were being investigation by council watchdog, the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO).

Councillor Hilton (Conservative) said: “I think there are serious issues that the planning committee need to be aware of.

"I am not convinced that all of the processes have been followed correctly.

“I think the LGO investigation also raises serious questions around the council’s adherence to its own policies to protect pubs.”

The LGO, whose officers met council planning officers last week, is trying to establish what the council did to achieve the best value for taxpayers in reaching the deal with the developer.

But in its recommendation to councillors tonight, officers will insist the Morden Tavern was no longer viable and that all reasonable steps have been taken to try and keep a pub on the site.

David Smith, the leader for the campaign to save the Morden Tavern, said this week he was worried the likely money to be paid by the developer (known as section 106 funding) would be too alluring a prospect for the committee to turn down.

Click here to see the agenda for tomorrow night's Planning Applications Committee meeting at the Civic Centre, Morden.

Do you think St Helier needs this pub or should it be turned into flats? Leave a comment below, call 020 8722 6335 or email: ooakes@london.newsquest.co.uk.