The organisers of the Great Dorset Steam Fair have offered an alternative site to which gypsies and travellers can be directed from any unauthorised encampments.

The site, north-west of Tarrant Hinton, will be accessed from the A354 Salisbury Road.

In a move to break the deadlock in the bid to find a suitable location, organisers have negotiated to make this site available for three weeks around this year’s fair and have offered to provide all of the necessary infrastructure.

The county council will hire a security contractor and will manage the site through its Gypsy and Traveller liaison service.

The offer of the alternative site by the steam fair organisers means that, if planning permission is approved, this site will be used for this year’s fair, following which it will be reviewed and options for longer-term planning permission considered.

The planning application for the site is now available to view and comment on. Details can be found using the planning application search at www.dorsetforyou. com/ planningapplications or by contacting the county council’s planning team on 01305 224289.