The ball started rolling due to a report from Audit Flanders. This showed that the then mayor would have purchased properties in the vicinity of the Markt. According to the new RUP, the buildings in that area would be allowed to have a fourth floor. According to Audit Vlaanderen, Verwilst had personal interests in that project.
In concrete terms, he is accused of participating in meetings about the spatial implementation plan in question on December 30, 2019, January 27, 2020, March 5, 2020, March 1, 2021 and April 20, 2021. At the same time, however, Verwilst was the owner of two residential houses in Regentiestraat and a commercial property on the Markt