PURBECK planners have agreed proposals to further expand The Tank Museum site at Bovington.

The museum, which boasts a collection of more than 300 vehicles, has been given permission to extend its vehicle conservation hall by more than half a hectare and create a new service yard.

A report to Purbeck District Council’s (PDC) planning committee, written by the authority’s planning case officer Steve Boyt, recommended approval for the scheme.

Mr Boyt explained: “Tanks started to be collected and displayed at Bovington from 1923/24.

“The museum has grown in the intervening years and now holds a large collection of armoured fighting vehicles.

“There is a long history of planning permissions for extensions and new buildings for the museum. This development is related to the growth in size of the museum and the way vehicles are exhibited.”

The museum, whose collection of armoured vehicles is widely-regarded as among one of the best in the world, exhibits vehicles that have seen action in all major wars of the twentieth century. PDC granted permission for two new conservation buildings and associated workshops at the Bovington site in 2012.

The latest plan is to extend the eastern side of the museum’s vehicle conservation hall to by around 956 square metres. The building will boast a 13.4-metre high pitched roof.

A new access point from Linsay Road and the formation of a 30-space car park have also been given permission.

In December the Echo reported how every member of the Tiger Tank family would be coming together for a unique display at the museum.

In what was billed as a world’s first, the Purbeck attraction museum announced it will be displaying its Tiger 1, two King Tigers, a Jagtiger and at least one other vehicle on international loan.

This new exhibition is set to be unveiled in April.