“THE worst kept secret in North Dorset” will be discussed at a public meeting in Shaftesbury.

Residents are being urged to attend a “fact-finding workshop” at the town hall to discuss district council plans to build a travellers’ site on land near the town.

Town councillor Simon Pritchard said he had invited the town’s district councillors to tell residents what they know about the plans.

“Many concerned members of the public have been to our committee meetings wanting to know what is going on.

“Since North Dorset District Council is responsible for traveller sites, we have to wait until they start the consultation process before we will officially be told the details of their proposal.

“However, their plans seem to be the worst kept secret in North Dorset,’’ said Mr Pritchard, the chairman of the town council’s planning committee.

Town councillor Richard Thomas, who recently attended a district council meeting about travellers’ sites, will also speak at the meeting. “It is very unusual for a workshop of this nature to be open to the public in this way, but I want to demonstrate that the town council will not be doing things behind closed doors,” said Mr Pritchard.

Cabinet bosses at NDDC gave the green light to a “pre-planning application consultation” for their recommended site on land south of the A30, in April.

The consultation period is expected to begin this month and to continue in July and August, with a planning application anticipated in September, and a ruling expected in November.

A spokesman for NDDC said: “We will advise of dates more precisely throughout the various stages and may include an open day in Shaftesbury to review the draft proposals and specific meetings with residents and the traveller community during July 2010.

“In addition, cabinet has decided that before a planning application is submitted, the proposed site design and a multi-agency management plan should be presented.”

Shaftesbury Town Council’s fact-finding workshop will be held at 6pm in the town hall on Tuesday, June 8.