A DUP MLA's controversial sideline business which lobbied for planning applicants no longer exists, the party has confirmed.
Trevor Clarke came under pressure last July after an Irish News investigation revealed the operations of Versatile Consultancy.
It was claimed to be a "major conflict of interest" and a breach of the MLA code of conduct which prohibits paid advocacy.
The South Antrim MLA strongly rejected this, but later moved to suspend its operations "to avoid any further concern".
It has since emerged that Versatile, from which Mr Clarke earned thousands of pounds as a partner in the firm, is no longer in existence.
Mr Clarke's Stormont register of interests was updated last month to confirm that the interest "ceased" in September.
A DUP spokesman for Mr Clarke said: "Versatile Consultancy ceased to exist last year and the update to the register of members' interests reflects that."
Versatile was first included on the register in January 2019, but no information was given on the nature of the business.
Documents uncovered by The Irish News revealed the business had been listed as the agent for several planning applications in the Antrim area in recent years.
Council files showed correspondence between Mr Clarke and officials about the applications, while a constituency office worker also sent emails on his behalf.
When one application came before the council's planning committee last year, Mr Clarke attended and spoke in its favour.
Sir Alistair Graham, the former head of a public standards watchdog, had said it appeared to be a "major conflict of interest" and a breach of the assembly code of conduct.
A DUP spokesman for Mr Clarke at the time defended the business, saying it "offers advocacy as well as site maps/drawings etc, beyond anything offered in the representative role of an MLA".
The planning business was the first of several controversies to emerge last year surrounding Mr Clarke and his wife, DUP councillor Linda Clarke.
Among them was a council watchdog opening investigations into alleged conflicts of interest involving Mrs Clarke's role on Antrim and Newtownabbey council.
The couple insist they "made all the relevant declarations and adhered to all rules".
Stormont has yet to appoint a new standards commissioner since the restoration of devolution to investigate complaints against MLAs.
