
Doc Martin star Martin Clunes insists 'hippie' neighbours are 'not travellers' amid acrimonious planning row near his country home
Actor Martin Clunes has insisted his 'hippie' neighbours are not travellers in the latest stage of an acrimonious planning row centering on land just 300 yards away from the £5 million farmhouse he shares with wife Phillipa Braithwaite.
The Doc Martin and Men Behaving Badly star has fought a long-running battle to try and stop New Age Travellers Theo Langton and Ruth McGill from turning their woodland plot and caravan into an official travellers site.
The couple have lived in the 45ft by 16ft mobile home on a temporarily rolling licence near Beaminster, Dorset, for more than 20 years.
They have applied for planning permission for continued use of land as a private residential traveller site for 'sole use of the applicants and family.'
But Clunes has hit out at the pair for claiming they are travellers based on 'the way they dress' and 'going to certain types of music festivals.'
The couple's plans include use of the erected barn as a dayroom, workshop and store, one mobile home, a touring caravan and a mobile van.
Clunes had claimed that the current residence did not meet the definition of a mobile home - and described the neighbour's attempts to classify it as one was 'cynical' and 'dishonest.'
A decision on the application that was due to be made at a council meeting last month was postponed after flooding fears were raised.
Fresh representations have now been made by Clunes on the council's planning portal where he questions their legitimacy as travellers.
The couple previously relied on evidence showing them as travelling to various festivals throughout the summer months in order to sustain their livelihood.
Clunes wrote: '(They) 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.
'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.'
Clunes added: 'The decision must rest on planning law and policy - not emotion or popularity of an applicant.
'The applicants are locally well-liked and they and their site may give the appearance of a New Age lifestyle, but that does not entitle them to special treatment as they do not meet the legal definition of a gypsy or traveller.
'The applicants travel to festivals as do many other people. They have a stall at festivals and sell items made by them. No evidence more than this is submitted for it to be able to be concluded that it supports their livelihood.
'Many stallholders travel from festival to festival and roadies set up the stage and equipment, all travelling each summer from festival to festival or fayre.
'They are not classed as travellers, New Age or otherwise. The applicants travel to Portugal and Spain by road each summer. So do many others who are not Travellers.
'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.'
Clunes added that from his view there were now only two ways forward - to refuse permission and consider enforcement, allowing time to relocate, or to grant a temporary permission.
He argued this should only be if it was made clear it 'the applicants must actively seek an alternative site, starting now.'
He added: 'The onus is on the applicants to comply with policy - not the council to make exceptions.'
In his submission, Clunes added: 'There is evidence not only of a precedent being set but the beginnings of a New Age Traveller commune growing up on and around the application site.
'Friends of the applicants have bought the field opposite the Meerhay Manor, have applied for planning permission to start growing vegetables in large polytunnels and have applied to live on site in a shepherds hut.
'There is no doubt that if permanent planning permission is granted then others will copy the approach of the applicants to obtain a planning permission which will be difficult for the Council to resist.
'None of the conclusions to which the officers give weight to outweigh the harm identified or stand up to scrutiny. Further, the assessment of harm which is caused by the proposed development has been inadequately considered and is grossly understated.'
Planning officers at Dorset Council had earlier recommended to grant approval for the proposal but the case was pulled from the agenda last month after a last-minute letter from Clunes' lawyers.
A two-year legal battle has since ensued with the application again pulled from the agenda of a meeting last month where it had again been recommended for approval.
Dorset Council said of the delay: 'This is because a matter has come to the attention of officers since the publication of the agenda which will require further consideration.
'The matter relates to surface water flooding and will need to be considered before the application can be reported to committee.
'The application will be reported back to committee as soon as possible.'
In his report that was due to go to the committee, planning official Bob Burden said: '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 Clunes' bought 130-acre Meerhay Farm near Beaminster, Dorset, from Mr Langton's mother, the landscape gardener Georgia Langton, in 2007.
The land at the heart of the planning row is around 300 yards from the £5m farmhouse where Clunes lives with wife Philippa Braithwaite.
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Daily Mail
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The women who were too much for Jeremy Clarkson: The aunt-and-niece duo who sneered at his Farmer's Dog pub enjoy the high life in the Cotswolds after parting company with TV star over THOSE umbrellas
They faced a backlash from viewers after Jeremy Clarkson hired them to help him through the chaos of getting his Cotswolds pub the Farmer's Dog up and running. Loyal fans of the TV presenter were not impressed with the efforts of well-to-do entrepreneurs Sue and Rachel Hawkins who were branded 'snobby' and 'rude' after a series of clashes with the star. The pub transformer duo - who appeared in the final episodes of the latest series of Clarkson's Farm - ended up quitting the project just 48 hours after the grand opening of the country hostelry. That appeared to rattle viewers even more with accusations Sue and her niece Rachel had 'jumped ship' when 'the going got tough' while one went as far as accusing them of being an 'awful pair of individuals'. Rachel, 40, had pointed out the pub formerly known as The Windmill was 'not fit for purpose' with 'too many issues to run a successful business' that included 'failing water, no toilets, no gas, leaking roofs, and struggling staff'. While admitting he was battling to overcome 'massive, massive struggles, Clarkson's biggest bone of contention with the high spending pair seemed to be the cost of three massive umbrellas to cover his terrace which, along with lighting and heating, would set him back a staggering £40,000. Despite their sudden exit, Sue and Rachel are unlikely to be spending much time drowning their sorrows, MailOnline can reveal. The hospitality entrepreneurs are very familiar with the quaint Cotswolds pub scene and are well known in the area for revamping and bringing new life to struggling establishments. And while Sue, 58, prefers to stay out of the limelight, Rachel, 40, is happy to share insights into her lavish life amid the growing list of A-list celebrities settling in the area. Rachel is well-established within the Cotswolds horse racing fraternity along with her long-term partner former National Hunt jockey Will Kennedy, 43. She frequently uses social media to show off her array of glitzy outfits at leading high society events of 'the social season' including Royal Ascot, The Derby and the Cheltenham festival, her favourite race meeting. Such is her passion for the finer things in life, Rachel has also run a company hiring out 'exquisite' hand-crafted British hats for ladies attending events ranging from Henley Royal Regatta to Glorious Goodwood and Buckingham Palace garden parties. She is said to have started the business 'as an extension of her own personal hat collection'. One of her most recent social media posts shows she has also teamed up with ITV racing stylist Sarah Kate Byrne. The stylist hailed Rachel as her 'beautiful sidekick' as she announced she was to curate the Good Clothes Show at Chelsea Town Hall earlier this month. Sarah Kate - who has styled presenter Francesca Cumani's outfits since 2017 - has also described Rachel as an 'effervescent blonde'. Rachel's appearances at leading race meetings have certainly not gone unnoticed. In 2015 she landed a trip-of-a-lifetime for the dazzling blue and white outfit she was wearing at that year's Goodwood Festival. Rachel Hawkins featured among the supporting cast of the latest series of Clarkson's Farm after being hired by the TV star to provide expert advice Her prize for winning the 'best dressed' contest was a holiday for two in Cape Town with a VIP day out at the races. As Irish-born Will - who had more than 450 winners in a 25 years career before retiring in 2023 - was busy racing, Sue accompanied her on the trip. Rachel later told how she was 'so excited' by her experience after meeting up with England cricketer Jonny Bairstow who she said 'is a friend of mine' and was there with his mother and sister. She ended up 'a table behind' cricket legend Ian Botham while she also got to rub shoulders with the late sporting icons Eddie Jordan and Lester Piggott. She said afterwards: 'We were looked after like royalty.' Last week MailOnline told how Rachel is set to make a tidy profit after putting her detached period country home for £2.8 million country home up for sale in a raffle. She bought the property - which is nestled in the heart of Stow-on-the-Wold in Gloucestershire - for £750,000 in November 2015. For as little as £10, entrants are being offered the chance to win the six bedroom house, which is crafted from classic Cotswold stone, and comes complete with stylish furniture. Organisers of the draw, Raffle House, promised the lucky winner of the competition would be able to have their own 'dream hom'e in an area where 'so many celebrities had chosen to live'. Alongside the original Chipping Norton set of the likes of Clarkson and David Cameron, more recent residents have included David Beckham, Ellen DeGeneres and superstar DJ Calvin Harris and his TV presenter wife Vick Hope. Kate Moss, Stella McCartney and Prue Leith also have homes in the Cotswolds while Beyonce and Jay-Z are also reportedly considering relocating to the area. Rachel and Irish-born Will lived there for a number of years with their five dogs. The purchase was made after Rachel and Sue bought a failing pub in the market town called the Bell Inn for just below its asking price of £350,000. They immediately began work on a £200,000 renovation and Sue once told how they were sprucing up the pub which needed 'new roofing, drainage, plumbing and electrics' by giving it 'the 'wow' factor' and turning it into 'a sea of caramel, leather, tweed and velvet'. The Bell became popular with jockeys and trainers who would entertain racehorse owners there and went on to scoop the prize of the nation's best turnaround pub at the Great British Pub Awards 2014. The pair went on to open up a bed and breakfast in the town and the following year they sold the properties with 13 'boutique style bedrooms' between them to brewing giants Young's for a 'seven figure sum'. The pair had previously transformed seven properties together including converting a 400-year-old building in Stratford-upon-Avon, which had previously been used as a dental practice, into a small hotel. Rachel has told how she was working as a 16-year-old bistro restaurant when she first teamed up with Sue who had began revamping businesses starting with a small fish restaurant in the 1990's. She first went to work for her aunt at the Fox & Goose pub in Armscote, Warwickshire, which Sue had turned into 'a stylish foodie venue' before selling it a year or so later. Sue once said she couldn't 'necessarily turn' businesses into 'a gold mine' but that she knew 'the takings and certainly the morale of the staff could be increased relatively simply and quickly'. As they got up and running they operated together on 'a 50-50' basis with Sue concentrating on 'design and set up' while Rachel 'took over operations'. Sue, whose father worked 'in the world of sales and marketing' says she was born in the inner-city area of Sparkhill in Birmingham, and once told how she started out selling timeshare apartments in Tenerife. But realising she wasn't going to make much money she quickly switched to selling her own t-shirts to fed-up tourists saying: 'Shove off - I don't want a timeshare!' In an interview with Warwickshire Life magazine she said: 'They sold like hotcakes. I took them round the swimming pools and bars and people were falling over themselves to buy them.' She was described in the article as 'an award-winning business woman whose motto could be 'no fun - no point'. Sue said that while she 'was very single-minded' she was 'always game for a laugh' adding: 'I couldn't see the point of something I didn't enjoy doing. 'I just enjoy life and I enjoy what I do. Admittedly I have had to be very determined at times but I never let that stop me from having a laugh, that's just the way I am.' Sue told how she 'travelled and worked her way around most parts of the globe over a six year spell' before returning to the UK and taking on jobs in London in pubs, bars. She began managing a restaurant in Stratford after the person the owners offered the job to pulled out the night before they were due to start. Sue told how she quickly settled into the role and it was not long before she was looking around for a place to run herself despite being short of money. She said she came up with a 'brilliant plan' - which may have also proved to be the inspiration for Rachel's raffle sale. Sue was selling a one bedroomed house in the medieval market town - and instead marketed it to buyers as 'a complete change of lifestyle.' She produced hundreds of flyers revealing along with the house she was 'throwing in' a soft top Volkswagen Golf and a crate of champagne'. Sue told how the property 'sold it in no time' and used the money to buy a Grade II-listed pub which, after a 'top-to-toe refurbishment' she reopened as Bar Humbug. After three years, the brewery made 'an offer she couldn't refuse' and once again Sue was on the lookout for new premises. She decided that her business strategy would be to overhaul a pub then put it up for sale once it was up and running - for the right price. She said: 'I love refurbishing the places, designing how they should look, working out what interior design fits with the structure of the place. 'It's what I do. I love doing it and can't imagine doing anything else.' And it appears, despite the disapproval of viewers, there's no hard feelings between Clarkson and his consultants over those umbrellas. On Tuesday, he posted a photo of the three huge umbrellas which now cover the decking at the back of the pub on Instagram saying: 'Turns out Sue and Rachel had a point. The Farmer's Dog did need big umbrellas after all!!' In response, Rachel shared Clarkson's photo on her own Instagram and replied: 'And behold... the exact 40k umbrellas that have been the topic of so much discussion. 'Not blocking the view and providing a year round weather solution with heating and lighting in order that 75 guests can dine comfortably on the terrace all year round … seems like 40k well spent?'


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Taron Egerton is back on the market! Rocketman star looking for love on celeb dating app Raya after seemingly splitting from Marvel girlfriend
Taron Egerton appeared to have found love at the end of last year with a Marvel star but it appears he is back on the market. The Rocketman star, 35, has been spotted looking for love on celebrity dating app Raya after relocating to Los Angeles. Back in December, it was revealed Taron had been secretly dating actress Chloe Bennett for several months with the pair enjoying dates in the UK and US. But the emergence of his profile on Raya - in pictures seen by MailOnline - suggests the pair have called it quits, just months after making it official. The Welsh actor's profile said that he was visiting London but resides in LA, and he tagged the track Lou's Tune by DARGZ. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. MailOnline has approached representatives for Taron for comment. In December, Taron was seen enjoying a romantic stroll with Chloe in N ew York City, just days after the pair confirmed their romance. The pair wrapped up from the winter chill as they took in the sights of the Big Apple. Taron wore a dark cardigan over a casual black ensemble which he teamed with a pair of comfortable beige high top trainers. Meanwhile Chloe, who's best known for her role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, opted for a long brown coat and jeans. The stunner completed the look with a knitted beanie while styling her long high-lighted tresses in loose waves. The week before, the couple were spotted for the first time together as they once again strolled though the streets of New York before stopping in a cafe for a kiss. An insider said last year of his relationship with Chloe: 'Taron has had a turbulent few years but things are much better with Chloe in the picture. 'They met in the US and went on a string of dates here before deciding to take a trip to the UK together. 'He showed her some of his favourite spots and they managed to fly under the radar, which was convenient because they're both super-private people. 'They are busy and taking it slowly, but from what they've been telling friends, it is going really well.' The last time Taron reportedly joined celebrity dating app was after his split from is long-term girlfriend Emily Thomas in April 2022. Following their split, Taron deleted all traces of the assistant director from his Instagram profile at the time. At the time sources close to the star claimed their relationship became 'strained' due to their busy schedules. An insider told The Sun back in April 2022: 'Taron and Emily have both been really busy for the past year and it put a lot of pressure on their relationship. 'They have separated and it hasn't been easy for either of them. He is taking some time for himself now but he is open to meeting someone else soon. 'He has been putting himself out there on Raya in the hopes he can ease himself back into dating.' Emily has worked on blockbuster movies including the likes of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Wonder Woman and Justice League. He previously split with Emily in 2018 before confirming they had reconciled at the pre-BAFTA Filmmakers Dinner four months later. In November of that year, the Robin Hood actor dropped the bombshell he had split from Emily after two years together. Taron insisted he was ' reinventing' himself in the wake of the break-up as he shaved his head to play Sir Elton John in the biopic Rocketman. He claimed shaving his head had a 'cathartic' impact to change the way he looked following his split. He said: 'I found it quite liberating because I just finished the Elton John thing and had this awful hair. So, I shaved my hair cos they had thinned it right out and given me this bald patch. 'It was very cathartic and also, not to put a downer on things, I split up with my girlfriend not long ago and it weirdly felt a bit like reinvention… to sort of change the way I look.'