Love Actually Director Battles to Protect His Quiet Seaside Village
Right now, there’s a story unfolding around Richard Curtis, the man behind Love Actually and so many classic British romantic comedies, and it’s not about film or Christmas cheer this time. Instead, it’s about a very real and very local dispute in a small, picturesque seaside village in Suffolk called Walberswick.
Richard Curtis, who is now 69, has found himself locked in a heated row over plans to create a new campsite in this upmarket village. The proposal involves installing around 30 camping pitches on nearby land, and Curtis, along with his partner Emma Freud, has strongly objected. In fact, their opposition has been made clear in the strongest possible terms in a formal letter sent to East Suffolk Council.
According to them, the campsite would fundamentally damage what makes Walberswick special. It’s been described as a quiet, natural, and low-key place, where the balance between residents, visitors, and the environment has been carefully maintained for decades. Curtis and Freud have warned that this balance could be destroyed if the campsite goes ahead. They believe the ecosystem would be harmed, traffic would increase, and local services would come under pressure, especially during the busy summer months.
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It’s worth noting that Walberswick isn’t just any village. It’s long been popular with celebrities, including Keira Knightley, David Morrissey, and radio DJ Simon Mayo. For Emma Freud’s family, the connection runs much deeper. Her family has owned a home there for around 90 years, ever since they fled Nazi persecution in the 1930s. Because of that history, the village is seen not just as a holiday spot, but as a sanctuary.
Despite more than 100 objections from villagers, the local council approved the plans in November, stating that the campsite counts as permitted development and does not require full planning permission. The landowner behind the proposal, Sir Charles Blois, has described it as a modest venture, but many locals clearly don’t see it that way.
This isn’t the first time Walberswick has been at the centre of controversy. In recent years, it became a battleground over green energy plans, including proposals for a large substation nearby. That fight also united villagers, with Emma Freud’s cousin, novelist Esther Freud, helping to lead the opposition.
Adding to the personal strain, Richard Curtis and Emma Freud suffered a devastating house fire in 2022, when their historic 18th-century home in the village was badly damaged. That house was believed to be where Curtis wrote some of his most famous films.
So for Curtis, this isn’t just about a campsite. It’s about protecting a place that holds deep personal, creative, and historical meaning, and the outcome could shape the future of one of England’s most cherished coastal villages.
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