Doc Martin star Martin Clunes has lost his four-year planning dispute to prevent a permanent Travellers’ site from being established adjacent to his Dorset home.
The Wuthering Heights actor, alongside several neighbours in Beaminster, had vocally opposed the proposals put forward by Theo Langton and Ruth McGill.
The couple, who have resided in a 45ft by 16ft (13.7m by 4.9m) mobile home on their own land at Meerhay for a quarter of a century, had sought official planning permission to establish their permanent residency.
Initially, officers at Dorset Council had recommended the plans for approval when they were first presented to its western and southern area planning committee in April 2025.
However, the decision was subsequently deferred following significant concerns regarding the potential risk of flooding at the proposed site.
A comprehensive flood risk assessment was then conducted, which ultimately concluded that any risk of surface water flooding was not deemed substantial enough over the estimated 100-year “lifetime” of the development.
Consequently, the plans were brought back before the committee for a final decision.
In a decisive vote, the committee has now approved the plans by seven votes to two, incorporating specific conditions stipulated by the planning officers.
These conditions notably include that any alterations made to the site are permissible only for the duration of Mr Langton and Ms McGill’s residency, and must be fully removed within four months should they cease to permanently occupy the property.
And the conditions would limit the number of residential caravans on the site to two.
Planning officer Bob Burden told the committee that the council’s Gypsy liaison officer was satisfied that the couple’s movements and attendance at festivals met the definition of Travellers.
He added: “There is a growing and significant unmet need for sites. We simply cannot find sufficient sites for gypsies and Travellers.”
Mr Burden said the impact on neighbouring properties was limited and said: “There’s no unacceptable overlooking privacy issues with this scheme in my view.”
He added the permission would be limited to the use of the couple and added: “If the site ceased to be occupied, then the structures would need to be removed.”
John Steel KC, representing Clunes, said: “The applicants are not statutory Travellers, but even assuming they are, they cannot on one hand reject sites offered to them and at the same time benefit from Traveller policy exceptions.”
He added: “Others will follow, others are waiting, there is evidence of this already on adjacent land.
“The strong message will be that those with similar lifestyles can get round the planning system in Dorset.”
Mr Steel continued: “To grant a permanent planning permission would be unlawful, undermine planning policy and be wholly unfair to law-abiding residents.”
Simon Rushton, agent for the applicants who had lived at the site for 21 years, said they had received 47 letters of support, as well as from the local town council.
Reverend Jonathan Herbert said he supported the couple’s plans and added that they “maintained a nomadic lifestyle”.
He said: “They are well known and respected among the new Traveller community, without a shadow of a doubt they are new Travellers.”
Councillor Craig Monks said: “I believe that the officer’s recommendations provide the certainty to those local residents that this land will be used for a particular purpose, for particular people in a particular time.”
Clunes and his wife previously made a submission to the committee expressing their concerns over the proposals, including the recommendation of the council’s Gypsy liaison officer that Mr Langton and Ms McGill should be considered as “new-age travellers”.
An officer’s report to the committee said: “It is very clear they follow and are a part of the new-age traveller community and have been for many years.
“Although they are not ethnic gypsies, I am more than satisfied they are new-age travellers and have a lot of friends and support in the new Traveller community.”
In response, Clunes wrote: “It cannot be concluded that the applicants are persons of nomadic habit of life due to them visiting music and other festivals each year to sell items and help set them up.
“This would mean that many, if not all, stallholders at such festivals, as well as the roadies who travel with the festival organisers, retailers and bands, would be classed as gypsies and Travellers within the planning definition, which clearly is not the case.”
