DORSET County Council plans to consult on whether to reopen a former gypsy traveller site near Wimborne.

Mannington Park was closed in the mid-1990s and families evicted after a catalogue of complaints about nuisance, rubbish and vandalism including £200,000 spent on wrecked washing block facilities.

But pressure to find places where travellers can be directed to avoid unauthorised encampments in sensitive areas have led council chiefs to rethink the site.

Government funding is being made available for refurbishment of such sites but councils need to have places identified and planning permission in place before putting in a bid.

David Ayre, of the council's Environmental Services said: "The land at Mannington Park is leased from the Earl of Shaftesbury Estates and the lease is due for renewal in 2004.

"The council has received several unsolicited requests for its future use - one from a construction company reques-ting that it be made available for use in recycling construction waste and a second request from a Romany gypsy organisation offering to operate the site as a transit site.

"It is complicated by the fact we don't own the land but it has planning permission as a gypsy traveller site. However, it is only right and proper we consult widely on all possible future use of this site."

The council has had a Traveller and Gypsy Policy in place since April 2002 but admits it falls short on providing sites for travellers to go to in the county.

Only four sites are available - at Sherborne, Thornicombe near Blandford, Coldharbour near Wareham and Piddlehin-ton near Dorchester. Manning-ton would give travellers a place to go to in East Dorset.

The matter is to be discussed by the council's environmen-tal service overview and policy committee today.