ORGANISERS of a major North Dorset event are vowing to carry on and find another way after their six-year planning battle was finally turned down this week.

District planners have now refused the application from the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Agricultural Society to build a £1.5 million pavilion on the Turnpike Showground, at Motcombe.

The society's bid 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 freemasonry allegations, but did stress that the planning application would have to be submitted from scratch and new consultation carried out.

The application had been for a building based on a tithe barn style design to house an office, meeting room, halls and bar. It also included modifying vehicular access to the site and additional car parking.

"Much of the debate centred on the viability of the project and speculation about what uses the building would be put to apart from agricultural use," said a district council spokesman.

"Many councillors expressed concern that the building would create unwanted noise for nearby residents as well as unacceptable levels of traffic movements in the area with the increased usage of the showground.

"There was also concern from councillors that the business venture supporting the pavilion was not viable and that the showground could be left with a white elephant if the project failed, leading to alternative, less suitable planning applications being submitted for the site."

But Sam Braddick, who runs the show, said: "We will be holding a meeting to consider putting in an appeal.

"This application had already been approved so an appeal would seem to be the obvious thing to do. Perhaps, however, a modified plan could be submitted. We shall keep going."