Despite objections from local residents and Langton Matravers parish council in Dorset, the historic Langton House has been granted planning permission to build two new holiday homes and locate two shepherd huts in its grounds.
At the Dorset Council eastern area planning meeting on Wednesday 19th November 2025, councillors weighed up the concerns that further development of the property, which now operates as a holiday complex, would increase the risk of flooding to homes in the nearby road The Hyde.
Langton House is a popular holiday complex in Langton Matravers
Once a private boarding school
However on balance it was agreed unanimously to grant planning permission for the two three-bedroom semi-detached cottages and the two double linked shepherd huts, as long as the properties remained as holiday accommodation, that there was mitigation of the surface water flood risk, and a payment of £664.80 was made to address the potential recreational pressure on the nearby Dorset Heaths.
Langton House, once a private boarding school, is owned by the company Holiday Property Bond and was converted in 1995 into 29 holiday flats with facilities including an indoor pool and tennis courts.
It’s set in 15 acres of land in an idyllic location on the edge of Langton Matravers village, near to the National Trust owned land at Spyway, and within a relatively easy walking distance of the popular Dancing Ledge on the Purbeck coastline.
The two double linked shepherd huts will be located within the 15 acre grounds surrounding Langton House
“Boggy in locations”
Concerns from objectors mainly focussed on the problem of surface water flooding in the area, although technically it is listed as a low flood risk area.
During a site visit by the Dorset Council planning officer in January 2025, it was noted:
“The field to the east of the access driveway in which the proposed shepherd’s huts are to be sited was boggy in locations, and a pond in the lower north-east corner of the site was at capacity.”
Plans of the double linked shepherd huts which will have to be in dark neutral colours to blend in with the natural environment
“Cumulative impact of any development is undeniable”
Following earlier discussions, the applicant agreed to mitigate some of the excess water problem by creating a swale, which is a type of shallow drainage ditch.
In response, Langton Matravers parish council updated its comments:
“It is in the nature of surface water flooding that the damage caused at the lower levels of the drainage area (in this case the Hyde) cannot be directly attributed to any single development, but the cumulative impact of any development is undeniable.
“Langton Matravers parish council does not possess and cannot afford to employ the professional advice required to dispute the particulars of the submitted Surface Water Drainage Strategy, and therefore we rely on and request that Dorset Council Planning should provide robust assurance that the planned surface water mitigation measures as now outlined are able to cope with the severe surface water flows which have been observed in Langton in 2023 and 2025.”
Langton House is next to Spyway car park and track, which leads down to Dancing Ledge
Flooding has twice reached the ‘1 in 100 years’ levels in the past 12 months
Dorset councillor Ben Wilson who represents South East Purbeck ward which includes Langton Matravers wrote:
“I acknowledge and appreciate that the applicant has taken steps to answer my concerns and those of Langton Matravers parish council and residents regarding drainage and surface water run-off.
“My request of Dorset Council Planning remains, that they gain an exceedingly high degree of certainty that these developments will not contribute to heightened levels of surface water flowing into neighbouring residential roads and properties.
“I remind Dorset Council Planning that flooding in this area, including from this site, has twice reached the ‘1 in 100 years’ levels in the past 12 months.”
Concluding discussions at the planning meeting, councillors acknowledged that the extra holiday accommodation would help to provide a year round benefit to local tourism.
With the proviso that the flooding mitigation would be implemented, the money would be paid to mitigate damage to the heathland, and the properties wouldn’t be allowed to be sold off as holiday homes or main residences, the planning permission was granted.
Further information
- Planning application P/FUL/2024/06961 on the Dorset Council website
- Planning officer’s report
- More about Langton House
