A council chief executive has resigned as governor of a college to prevent any conflict of interest as the council considers its controversial development plans.

Frances Rutter, chief executive of Epsom and Ewell Council, resigned as a governor at Nescot College, in Ewell, at the end of last year.

The resignation came before the college and its partner submitted controversial planning applications to develop a college site in Reigate Road.

An Epsom Council spokesman said: "Frances resigned from being a governor of Nescot at the end of 2013.

"This was a personal decision and was made for two reasons:

"As an individual with senior level responsibilities for council planning actions, Frances believed it was important that there was no conflict of interest, or perceived conflict of interest, between the two roles.

"The council workload meant that there was not sufficient time to undertake the Nescot duties to the level that Frances would wish, and the council role had to take priority.

"Councillors were not involved in Frances’ decision."

The college wants to develop 91 homes and a retirement village on fields used to care for farm animals to pay for the modernisation of its buildings.

Brian Angus, chairman of Ewell Village Residents’ Association, said unless France cited personal reasons, the timing of the resignation appeared tied in with the planning applications.

Mr Angus said: "We are engaged in an important political debate representing views that Nescot should not destroy a community asset effectively realising a capital asset to catch up on maintenance."

He added: "I knew her predecessor, David Smith walked the political tightrope of Nescot governor through thick and thin, and that sometimes appeared difficult when he needed to represent the residents’ best interests."

A Nescot spokeswoman said: "The college is unable to comment on an individual's reasons for resignation - it is a personal matter and not appropriate for us to do so."

Keith Lugton, chairman of Nonsuch Park and District Residents’ Association, said residents are invited to a meeting to discuss the plans in Cheam on Thursday.

Mr Lugton said: "What we are doing is giving residents the opportunity to have their say then we can respond to the council.

"If residents are feeling unhappy about the planning application, they have the opportunity to tell the council so. I urge them to do so individually.

"It is important residents know there’s a time constraint."

Residents are invited to the meeting at 7.30pm on Thursday at St Paul’s Church in Northey Avenue, Cheam.

Comment here before Thursday March 13: http://eplanning.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/online-applications/