Martin Clunes dealt major blow in battle against travellers’ site next to his £5m farmhouse

Martin Clunes and his TV producer wife Philippa Braithwaite have lived at Higher Meerhay Farm near Beaminster, Dorset, since 2007

View showing Martin Clunes house on the right and Theo Langtona's woodland travellers site on the left (BNPS)

TV star Martin Clunes has been dealt a major blow in the prolonged battle against a travellers' site being built next to his £5m farmhouse.

Planning officials have come out in support of the bid by Mr Clunes' neighbours Theo Langton and Ruth McGill to make a woodland encampment a permanent site.

They recommend granting planning permission for the controversial development, which will be about 300 yards from the Doc Martin actor's luxury home.

One of the reasons stated for approval is that denying it could infringe Mr Langton and Ms McGill's human rights, specifically their right to a family life and home.

The matter will be voted on by councillors next week but if they agree with the professional advice the New Age Travellers can begin work on the development.

This will include creating permanent space for a mobile home, a touring caravan and a mobile van.

Mr Clunes and his TV producer wife Philippa Braithwaite have lived at Higher Meerhay Farm near Beaminster, Dorset, since 2007.

Doc Martin star Martin Clunes and other villagers in Beaminster, Dorset, have objected to the plans (PA) (PA Archive)

Mr Langton, 56, and Ms McGill, 51, have lived 'off-grid' in a static caravan on the site on a rolling temporary licence since 2003 and applied to make this permanent in 2022.

Their application also includes securing permission for a 'modest' barn already on the site the couple use as a workshop.

Men Behaving Badly star Mr Clunes, 64, has vehemently opposed the plans every step of the way.

He has hired a top planning barrister and at one stage they described the couple as 'cynical and dishonest' over their application.

At first they claimed the couple did not meet the legal definition of traveller status and therefore had no right to a full-time base there.

But this was dismissed by Dorset Council's liaison officer who verified the couple have been part of the UK travelling community for 30 years and attend fairs to sell their wares.

Mr Clunes also claimed that there was nothing mobile about Mr Langton's and Ms McGill's 45ft by 16ft caravan.

The Government's definition for a mobile home on a travellers' site is a structure that can be divided into two parts and be comfortably picked up and moved on the back of a 40ft trailer.

Mr Clunes accused his neighbours of 'cynically distorting' these guidelines by saying their home was capable of being moved.

But an engineer hired by Mr Langton and Ms McGill examined the caravan and found the structure could be divided into two and taken away on a standard sized articulated lorry trailer.

Mr Clunes then claimed the site was at risk of surface water flooding from runoff.

By a flood risk assessment of the land was carried out and it was found it was safe from surface water flooding for the next 100 years.

The star has also claimed the development would cause harm to the protected landscape that is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

But council planning officers have dismissed these arguments and recommended the controversial planning application be approved.

Dorset Council planning officer Bob Burden has stated in his findings: "The site is the family’s home and whilst their children are now older, they clearly have a need for a settled base.

"Refusal of the application could therefore result in the loss of the family’s home and so be an interference with their rights under article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights."

View showing Martin Clunes house at the bottom and Theo Langton's woodland travellers site at the middle top of the image (BNPS)

Addressing the issue of the couple being bona fide travellers, Mr Burden said: "The applicants’ pattern of travelling ...continues to have an economic basis underlying the purpose of the travelling.

"As a result, officers consider that the applicants are travellers within the definition of the current [government policy]."

Mr Burden said that the 'significant shortage' of permanent traveller sites in Dorset for the couple to go as another reason planning permission should be granted.

Addressing Mr Clunes' concerns about encampment being a blot of the protected landscape, the officer said: "Over time the applicants have carried out landscaping to help mitigate the site's impact."

He concluded: "The site is considered appropriate for a permanent grant of permission."

Mr Clunes and Ms Braithwaite bought the 130 acre estate from Mr Langton's mother, the celebrated landscape gardener Georgia Langton, in 2007.

Mr Langton bought the woodland plot nearby from his mother and has been there for 23 years.

He and his partner survive without running water or electricity and use a compost toilet.

The couple have become popular members of the community and have volunteered for multiple local iniatives.

They have received plenty of local support for their case, with several people writing letters in their favour.

Betty Billington said: "The main objector (Mr Clunes) bought his property knowing that this family already occupied the land for residential use."

In response, Mr Clunes' planning agent, Will Cobley, said: "Our clients have lived at their property for many years and are concerned by the proposal, which seeks to authorise and intensify a nearby traveller use on a permanent basis."

At one stage Mr Clunes wrote to the council to accuse his neighbours of attempting to distort the definition of the guidelines for a mobile home.

He said: "To describe it as a mobile home is cynical and dishonest."

Mr Clunes is not alone in objecting to the planning application.

Dinah Clarke, who lives at nearby Meerhay Manor, said: "Many people in Dorset would love to develop their own land to accommodate their own families but come up against strict planning permission especially in AONBs."

Retired chartered surveyor James Green fears that if is site is allowed other people will buy up pieces of land and try and do the same.

He said: "There are many young people in West Dorset who cannot afford to buy a property to live in, or even rent one. Obtaining a piece of land, and setting up as a New Age Traveller will be easy to achieve given the only test is to travel in search of seasonal employment or summer shows and festivals."

Members of Dorset Council will vote on the application next week.olivia colman