Martin Clunes: My planning-row neighbours are not real gypsies
The Doc Martin actor and other villagers in Beaminster, Dorset, have fought a long-running battle to try to stop Theo Langton and Ruth McGill, New Age travellers, from turning their woodland plot into an official travellers site.
The couple, who have lived in a 45ft by 16ft (13.7m by 4.9m) caravan on land they own at Meerhay for 25 years, have applied for planning permission to continue living there permanently.
Dorset council had recommended the plans for approval at a planning committee last month, but the case was deferred after concerns were raised about the risk of flooding at the site.
Now Clunes and his wife have written a further 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'.
Theo Langton and Ruth McGill want to turn their woodland plot into an official travellers site - SWNS/William Dax
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 Age 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.'
He continued: 'Persons cannot claim they are travellers because of the way they project themselves, either by the way they dress, or living on a site without basic amenities or the company they keep, or because they travel to certain types of music festivals or fairs, here or abroad.
'More precisely, there is no evidence that the applicants have 'a cultural tradition of nomadism or living in a caravan'.
'Being on a committee supporting travellers does not mean that they are a traveller either, nor that the local community accepts them as such.
'What is to the point here is that there is no evidence that selling masks and other items at festivals and fairs is the applicants' means of livelihood, as required as a test in law.'
The application is for continued use of land as a private residential traveller site for 'sole use of the applicants and family' and to include the use of a barn as a workshop, along with a mobile home, a touring caravan and a van to be based on the site.
'Proposal is acceptable in its design'
In a letter submitted to the council by Clunes' solicitors, Kitson & Trotman, in April 2023, they argued the applicants do not fit within the definition of travellers and that approving the plans for the permanent site would set a 'harmful precedent'.
The agenda for April's cancelled hearing had recommended councillors approve the scheme.
The officers stated in their report: 'The location is considered to be relatively sustainable and the proposal is acceptable in its design and general visual impact.
'There is not considered to be any significant harm to neighbouring residential amenity.
'There are no material considerations which would warrant refusal of this application.'
The case was previously delayed by the planning committee in April 2023 after a last-minute objection was received from Clunes.
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