AN East Dorset tourist attraction is coming under renewed fire over the building of unauthorised pieces of play equipment at its green belt site near Wimborne.

While bosses at Honeybrook Farm are seeking permission to retain an adventure playground, a toddlers garden, river track and other structures, planners say further breaches have been identified.

And officers claim the farm, which was granted consent to become a working Victorian farm museum in 1981, was being run as a country park for which there was no permission.

On Tuesday, the district council's planning committee will debate the retrospective application by owner Sir Richard Glyn, which officers are recommending is refused.

Meanwhile, in a report to members, head of planning and building control Mike Hirsh said other unauthorised structures which were not part of the retrospective application included a Trojan horse, an oversized table and two chairs and a wooden kiosk.

"The site is located within the green belt where there is a general presumption against inappropriate development," he said.

Mr Hirsh said the incremental matters could be regularised through a comprehensive approach.

"The applicant has chosen to avoid the submission of a comprehensive country park proposal, Individually, the kiosk and the Trojan horse are clearly contrary to policy.

"Furthermore, the operation of a country park, on a much larger land area, raises further issues about traffic safety at the junction with the Cranborne Road and traffic impact."

Sir Richard told the Daily Echo that almost all the structures had been in the notes in the original planning permission but he was applying for retrospective permission. "We have bent over backwards to what the council has asked us to do," he said.

Sir Richard queried whether permission was even needed for the Trojan horse - which was not in the original notes - because it is on rollers.

First published: October 21