Guy Ritchie wins approval for Airbnbs on his airfield after neighbours blast plans as ‘aviation theme park by stealth’

HOLLYWOOD filmmaker Guy Ritchie has been given the go-ahead to create Airbnbs on his historic airfield. The Brit director angered local residents with his scheme to turn staff accommodation at Compton Abbas Airfield in Dorset into holiday lets. Disgruntled locals accused the Hollywood director of creating an ‘aviation theme park by stealth’ after he proposed to change staff accommodation at Compton Abbas Airfield in Dorset into Airbnbs Credit: BNPS Director Guy Ritchie has been accused of pushing the plans ‘by any means’ Credit: Getty They have accused him of trying to build an “aviation theme park by stealth” and “by any means” with no consideration for he local environment. They fear his ultimate goal is to have a hotel on the sensitive site which is in the Dorset National Landscape and part of the Cranborne Chase International Dark Sky Reserve. Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! The Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director has already opened a smokehouse restaurant and re-routed a 130-year-old public footpath since buying the airfield in 2022. He puts on Spitfire flight experiences and has turned the airfield into a popular visitor destination with events held throughout the year. Now his plans for two holiday apartments – one two-bedroom and one four-bedroom – have been won planning permission. They will allow guests to stay overnight while they enjoy flying experiences during the day. Ritchie transformed the site, which includes a smokehouse restaurant Credit: BNPS The airfield has had permission for a flat for live-in staff since 2005 Credit: BNPS The airfield has had permission for a flat for live-in staff since 2005. Locals argued this was for a member of staff to live on site to provide “security and safety”. Most read in Showbiz But Dorset Council disagreed and said there was no planning reason to refuse it. Planning officer Jamie Francis said: “The owner has been open that they are seeking to generate additional income streams for the airfield, which would have personal gain, this is also considered to bring economic benefits to the area. Ritchie owns and manages Compton Abbas Airfield after acquiring the historic site in 2023 Credit: BNPS Guests can buy craft beers and ales from Ritchie’s own local Gritchie Brewing Company Credit: BNPS “Overall, the re-use of the building for tourist accommodation in place of staff accommodation is considered acceptable. “A condition has been applied to ensure that the accommodation is used for short term lets only and not for permanent residential accommodation. “The conversion of one unit of staff accommodation and one office unit to two units of holiday accommodation is considered acceptable. “In addition, two units of accommodation to two units of holiday accommodation are considered acceptable. The airfield secured formal planning approval from Dorset Council to convert its existing staff accommodation into short-term holiday lets Credit: BNPS The site has seen a major increase in public events, including classic car meets, live music Fridays, and heritage aviation displays Credit: BNPS “Therefore, the Council see no reason to refuse the application on this basis. “The impact of holiday accommodation is anticipated to have a negligible impact on neighbouring amenity, air pollution, and the overall business of the airfield and flight activities.” The airfield is near Ritchie’s Ashcombe Estate on the Dorset/Wiltshire border. He previously shared Ashcombe House with ex-wife Madonna and now he and wife Jacqui split their time between their London home and the country estate. He has hosted celebrity pals there, including David Beckham and Robert Downey Jnr. Neighbour Christopher Dymond said the regular flying events caused a nuisance and disturbance to neighbours and likened going into his garden to “walking onto a WW2 film set”. Mr Dymond said: “Compton Abbas Airfield, until recently, was a polite small grass airfield run for local flying enthusiasts and was managed carefully to reflect the incredibly sensitive location and the proximity of local villages. “The airfield now is run on a much more commercial basis and largely by stealth is morphing into an aviation theme park with numerous events, shows and visitor attractions. “The nuisance and disturbance to local residents has increased significantly and many of the historic planning restrictions governing the airfield are not being adhered to. “Often, on a summer weekend, entering your garden is like walking onto a WW2 film set with noisy historic aircraft constantly flying overhead. “The current apartment was only allowed on the basis it was an absolute necessity for a member of staff to be on site for safety and security reasons. “If this safety and security requirement is no longer a necessity there are provisions in the planning legal agreements for the use to cease, not for it to be opened up for paying visitors to stay on the site, without any staff presence.” Philip Cayford, a neighbour and member of the Compton Abbas Airfield Monitoring Group, said: “It began as a small private strip capable of hosting up to six small aircraft. “It has long since been accepted that the original permission was a planning mistake; councils since that time have accepted the need to curb the expansion pushed for by successive owners. “The current application would appear to be a further attempt to increase the size and profitability of this site by any means with no regard whatever for environmental issues or the inconvenience to local residents. “Approving this application would constitute one further step in the commercial development of one of the most beautiful and sensitive rural landscapes in southern England, and as such is quite inappropriate.” The Sun has approached Ritchie’s reps for comment. 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