Actor Martin Clunes has voiced strong criticism of what he describes as "pious" and ineffective council planning officers, alleging a failure to enforce rules, particularly in the context of a permanent travelers' site established near his home in Dorset.
The "Doc Martin" star's frustration stems from a protracted planning battle that concluded earlier this year, when Theo Langton and Ruth McGill were granted permission to convert their temporary mobile home site into a permanent one. This site is located approximately 300 yards from Clunes' home near Beaminster, within a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Clunes fears a potential second development could be established on his doorstep following fresh plans submitted by new neighbors, Andy Cream and Grace Burger. The couple intends to establish an organic farm and an eco-business focused on selling fruit and vegetable boxes locally via e-bike. Their proposal includes the construction of a storage barn, two polytunnels, and a greenhouse, which they state is crucial for improving local food security, reducing carbon footprint, and enhancing biodiversity.
These new plans have garnered support from Theo Langton, who is an advocate for food security in the Beaminster area. Clunes, however, expresses concern that these plans are a precursor to Cream and Burger establishing a permanent residence on land just 150 yards from his farm.
Clunes's critique is directed at Dorset Council, which he anticipates will permit the new venture despite local objections. He drew parallels to his dispute with Langton and McGill, who had occupied their woodland site for over two decades on a temporary license. When their license expired in 2022, they applied for permanent status, a move Clunes publicly opposed, questioning their status as bona-fide travelers.
Cream and Burger initially submitted plans in July 2025 for a temporary agricultural worker's dwelling, but withdrew this element after facing backlash. They subsequently resubmitted an application in April focusing solely on the farm's agricultural aspects.
In a sarcastic letter, Clunes suggested that applicants could disregard council rulings, stating that the council would not enforce them. He posited that "after a few years of inactivity and a number of changes of the planning committee," the council would ultimately accommodate any work or additions made to the land, irrespective of neighbor objections and without consulting affected parties. He concluded that the council would then appear to have upheld its responsibilities without having to enforce initial rulings, operating "without regulation."
Clunes's wife, Philippa Braithwaite, had previously objected to the initial application by Cream and Burger, expressing concerns that the desire to live on-site was a tactic to eventually convert a barn into a dwelling. She also noted the historical pattern of people occupying nearby woodland and suggested a similar outcome for the new site. Braithwaite emphasized that the area's designation as an AONB requires planning decisions to protect or enhance the environment, arguing that the proposed structures would detract from the landscape.
Cream and Burger's proposal outlines a market garden cultivating over 100 varieties of seasonal produce on one acre of land. They intend to sell directly to the local community through a veg box scheme and to local businesses, with deliveries made by electric bike. Their plan emphasizes reducing reliance on imported goods and strengthening local food supply chains.
The application has received mixed responses. While dozens of community members, including Langton and McGill, support the initiative, others, including Beaminster Town Council, have objected, citing concerns that the polytunnels and greenhouse are out of character with the protected rural setting. Curiously, one objector shares the surname Strang, a reference to Clunes's character in the sitcom "Men Behaving Badly."