Martin Clunes, renowned for his roles in Men Behaving Badly and Doc Martin, has intensified his opposition against his ‘hippie’ neighbours, Theo Langton and Ruth McGill, who claim the status of travellers based on their lifestyle and attendance at music festivals. The couple have lived in a mobile home on a temporary licence near Beaminster, Dorset, for over 20 years and are seeking planning permission to establish a private residential traveller site on their woodland plot.
Clunes argues that the couple’s lifestyle does not fit the legal criteria for gypsies or travellers, dismissing their claims as based largely on appearances and festival participation. He emphasizes that attending festivals and living without basic amenities do not qualify as nomadic behaviour under planning law. In his latest submission to Dorset Council, Clunes states, “The applicants travel to festivals as do many others, selling handmade items and helping set up events. This alone does not establish a nomadic habit of life.”
The planning application includes a barn used as a workshop and dayroom, a mobile home, a touring caravan, and a mobile van. Clunes previously criticized attempts to classify the residence as a mobile home, labeling it “cynical” and “dishonest.” With concerns over flooding delaying the council’s decision, Clunes warns of potential precedent-setting consequences if permanent permission is granted, suggesting the development could encourage a broader New Age Traveller commune in the area.
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Clunes proposes two possible outcomes: either refusal of permission with enforcement and relocation time or granting temporary permission contingent on the applicants actively seeking alternative sites. He insists that the responsibility lies with the applicants to comply with existing policy rather than councils making exceptions.
Dorset Council’s planning officers have recommended approval, describing the location as sustainable with minimal visual impact and no significant harm to neighbours. However, the application has been repeatedly delayed due to new concerns raised, including issues related to surface water flooding.
The dispute centers on land adjacent to the 130-acre Meerhay Farm, which Clunes purchased in 2007 from the mother of Mr Langton, highlighting the personal dimensions of this ongoing legal battle. The situation remains unresolved as the council reviews fresh evidence and concerns before revisiting the contentious application.