Martin Clunes' farm faces dispute over traveler site

Martin Clunes, known for his role in Doc Martin, is facing challenges from neighbors who have set up a caravan site near his farm in Dorset. Clunes bought Meerhay Farm in 2007 with his wife, Philippa Braithwaite. The travellers, Theo Langton and Ruth McGill, have parked their static caravan just 300 yards from Clunes' property. For two years, Clunes has been at odds with the couple over their claims of living in a mobile home. Experts have stated that Langton and McGill have lived on the site for more than 20 years. Clunes disputes this classification and argues that the caravan is not a mobile home because it was built in multiple pieces over an extended period. In emails to the local planning authority, Clunes has criticized the couple's planning applications as "cynical and dishonest." He insists that the caravan was constructed without any intention of being moved. Clunes' lawyer has also pointed out that the couple must travel for their livelihood, which they claim to do by selling handmade products at festivals. A recent engineering report suggests that the caravan could be moved, although it requires disconnecting services and removing furniture. The couple is seeking to make their current site permanent, with plans for two additional mobile home spaces. Currently, they do not have electricity or running water.