AFTER six years of wrangling and High Court intervention, a bid to construct a major building in North Dorset is to be decided once and for all.

North Dorset planners are due next Wednesday to consider proposals to build a £1.5 million pavilion at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Showground at Motcombe.

But despite district planners now being recommended to refuse the application, agricultural show bosses say they are confident that they will get the green light for the new building.

The bid by the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Agricultural Society for the pavilion started in 2001 and was originally approved by North Dorset planners.

But then Port Regis School took the district council to judicial review over the plans, claiming interference and bias from Freemasons was involved in the original decision at the council.

The High Court in London found in favour of North Dorset District Council and found no truth in the Freemason allegations, but did stress that the planning application would have to be submitted from scratch and new consultation carried out.

This has now been done and the district council's development control committee is holding a special meeting at the Royal Chase Hotel in Shaftesbury to make their decision.

Representatives from statutory bodies, parish and town councils, objectors, supporters, the applicant and ward councillors are also being invited to speak at the meeting.

Sam Braddick, who runs the show, said: "I don't know why it is now being recommended for refusal but we are very optimistic because it was approved before.

"A facility such as this is needed for the showground and for the whole area because there's a distinct shortage of buildings with that capacity for functions.

"So it would be used by the community as well.

"We can see no reason for refusal.

"If it is refused, it will be egg on the council's face."