As druids celebrated the winter solstice at Stonehenge the prehistoric stone monument was plunged into a new row over plans to build a visitor centre.

The country's two leading heritage organisations are at loggerheads over where to locate the proposed £20 million, world-class complex.

A planning application has to be submitted soon to fulfil the Government's pledge of providing a Stonehenge visitor centre in time for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

English Heritage and the Department for Culture Media and Sport believe the complex should be built at the Fargo Plantation, a 20-minute walk from the monument.

However, one of the key stakeholders, the National Trust, has objected to the site because of its archaeological significance.

Salisbury's veteran MP Robert Key, who has been campaigning for a visitor cetre for more than 20 years, and who backs the Fargo site, said the situation was now at a stalemate.

He met Minister of State for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism Barbara Follett last week when a location for the scheme had been due to be announced.

She revealed that the decision was to be delayed until the new year because of the disagreement between the heritage bodies. If the centre is to be built on time a planning application must be lodged with Salisbury District Council by March.

Mr Key said: "The Fargo site is the only game in town. If we want to make progress, it's the only option."

The National Trust, which owns much of the land around Stonehenge, would not comment on its objections to the Fargo site.

But the Council for British Archaeology described it as "the least acceptable" of several potential sites outlined earlier this year.

An English Heritage spokeswoman said: "There are differences, but they're not insurmountable. We're aware of the tight deadline, and hope to come to an agreement in the new year."

It is the latest twist in the Stonehenge saga which has seen £38 million of public money spent over almost 20 years on aborted schemes.

Branded a national disgrace by MPs, the Stonehenge visitor facilities are housed in a "concrete monstrosity" on the other side of the A344.

Meanwhile, hundreds of druids, pagans and tourists braved the gloomy weather to gather at Stonehenge yesterday morning to celebrate the winter solstice.

More than 1,900 people, some dressed in cloaks and robes gathered to see the sunrise at the Wiltshire site.

The winter solstice is a pagan celebration held on the shortest day of the year.

More than 20,000 people usually attend the summer solstice celebrations at the site on the longest day of the year in June.