Travellers' site near actor's home approved

Plans for a permanent travellers' site on land near the home of actor Martin Clunes have been approved.

The Doc Martin and Wuthering Heights star, along with some of his neighbours in Beaminster, Dorset, had fought the application by Theo Langton and Ruth McGill for four years.

The couple have lived in a 45ft by 16ft (13.7m by 4.9m) mobile home on land they own at Meerhay for more than two decades.

Following discussion about whether the couple met the definition of travellers, the Dorset Council planning committee voted seven-to-two in favour of the plans to allow them to continue living there permanently.

Planning was granted with conditions that any alterations must be removed if Langton and McGill cease to occupy the property, and there must be no more than two residential caravans on the site.

Planning officer Bob Burden told the committee the council's gypsy liaison officer was satisfied the couple's movements and attendance of festivals met the definition of travellers.

He said: "There is a growing and significant unmet need for sites, we simply cannot find sufficient sites for gypsies and travellers."

But John Steel KC, representing Clunes, said: "The applicants are not statutory travellers.

"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.

"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, said they had received 47 letters of support, including from Beaminster Town Council.

Reverend Jonathan Herbert of Hilfield Friary, who is a chaplain to gypsies and travellers, said he supported Langton and Ms McGill's plans.

"They are well-known and respected among the new traveller community, without a shadow of a doubt they are new travellers," he said.

Councillor Craig Monks told the committee: "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."

An officer's report to the committee said: "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."

The planning permission allows for continued use of land as a private residential traveller site for "sole use of the applicants and family", including the use of a barn as a workshop, with a mobile home, touring caravan and a van to be based on the site.