Sell your house - buy a caravan

Xbigman

dougk wrote:

Being totally un-PC - perhaps?

The ability to stop wherever you like, whenever you like, pay nothing for ground rent and nothing anyone can do about it for months until the court finally sends in people to move you on.

No need for car insurance or tax as nothing is ever done about it

No need to pay any taxes

No need to worry about rubbish and junk - just leave it where it is

Generally no need to abide by any UK laws!!!!!


Seriously though static caravans on sites have their place and perhaps more FTB's should consider them when they say they can't afford to live anywhere?

I think you are also missing the point. The idea is not to be a traveller but to set up a proper cheap home. There are regulations that would have to be observed even after you sidestep the planning issue. You can't crap behind the hedge, have 15 people in a caravan or not send your kids to school.

The lifestyle thing is also something most of you can't work out. I live in a terraced house. Its ok but I can't scratch my !!!!!! without the neighbours watching. I have one car so people think they can park across my parking space with their third/fourth, the mob of kids running around need shooting...

If you want to downgrade and be mortgage free, live a simpler lifestyle and have a bit of privacy AND be comfortable then a DIY park home or static is an option.
Regards



X

dougk_2

I did understand the point I was just trying to give a tongue in check reply to westernpromise's statement!

To a large degree I agree with you xbigman and definately a sensible aproach to a) getting debt free and b) for Ftb's and others that can't afford a brick and morter house to have something of their own.

seven-day-weekend

Xbigman wrote:

No you don't because its temporary, thats the point.
Regards



X

You would still need planning permission for change of use. Then if the land reverted back to a paddock after a few years, there would have to be another change of use applied for.:eek: Or you could apply for temporary permission for an agreed time....but a change of use there would have to be! Then assuming you got the temporary permissio, the land would have to revert to a paddock after the agreed time.

How is putting a chalet on it temporary anyway?

seven-day-weekend

Although I agree that a mobile home/chalet on an authorised site is an option for some people, we lived in one for the foirst two years of our marriage.

seven-day-weekend

http://www.self-build.co.uk/default.aspx?contentid=f230ed97-d474-4f39-9e81-8bfde4054e05

Quote from this site:

>>What is a mobile home?
For planning purposes, a mobile home or caravan is any structure designed or adapted to be lived in, which is capable of being moved from one place to another, by towing or being carried on a vehicle or trailer, and any vehicle designed or adapted to be lived in. A double unit can be in not more than two sections, held together by bolts or clamps, and not more than 60 feet long, 20 feet wide or 10 feet high. Stationing a caravan is considered in planning to be a use of land rather than building a structure.

Consequently, if anything is built around a mobile home, such as porches or substantial skirtings, it can cease to be deemed a mobile home. This has consequences which we'll see later on.

On the face of it the definition of a mobile home might look clear-cut. However, there have been disputes over whether chalet-type structures are truly mobile or whether they are pre-fabricated buildings, and whether removing the wheels of caravans renders them immobile. If in doubt, check with the council whether your proposed temporary home would be deemed a mobile home for planning purposes.



Do mobile homes need permission?

There is a popular misconception that mobile homes don't need planning permission but, in most cases, stationing a mobile home, which is going to be lived in, usually does require planning permission. This means that you can't just buy part of a field or a paddock, put a caravan on it and convert that to a permission for a new house after a few years. There are, however, circumstances in which mobile homes to be occupied without having to make an application to the council first. These include living on site while you're building a house and seasonal or occasional use by agricultural workers. Mobile homes can be stored in domestic gardens and can even be used for additional accommodation, provided they are not used as a living unit separate from the house.
<<

Debt_Free_Chick

Xbigman wrote:

No you don't because its temporary, thats the point

Sorry, but you do

Prudent

Xbigman wrote:

I think you are also missing the point. The idea is not to be a traveller but to set up a proper cheap home. There are regulations that would have to be observed even after you sidestep the planning issue. You can't crap behind the hedge, have 15 people in a caravan or not send your kids to school.

The lifestyle thing is also something most of you can't work out. I live in a terraced house. Its ok but I can't scratch my !!!!!! without the neighbours watching. I have one car so people think they can park across my parking space with their third/fourth, the mob of kids running around need shooting...

If you want to downgrade and be mortgage free, live a simpler lifestyle and have a bit of privacy AND be comfortable then a DIY park home or static is an option.
Regards



X

I can see the appeal of that. I think you live in the terrace I used to live in . It was no fun.

By contrast my parents, who were mainly resident abroad, had a static caravan on a tranquil site near a small town in S w England. It was idyllic. They had virtually no maintenance, someone at reception who would take in parcels/ deliveries etc. Neighbours both sides only used their caravans odd weekends. No children on site. When they went abroad the site looked after the caravan. All in their costs were £900 per year, an inital outlay of about £12,000 on the caravan and some minor deprecitaion on it. They did at one point consider buying a plot of land to put it on, but in the end returned to uk and purchased a house (not terraced ).

Xbigman

Debt_Free_Chick wrote:

Sorry, but you do

The person I have been speaking to for the last few days has personally set up 2 park homes (he makes the distinction between park homes and mobile homes for some reason) and the person who tutored him on how to do it owns a holiday caravan park and has help set up around 40 park homes on private land as well. They freely admit they use a loophole to do it. And all the ones they have done are in Devon.

Anyone who is interested get a copy of park homes magazine.
Regards



X

Debt_Free_Chick

Xbigman wrote:

The person I have been speaking to for the last few days has personally set up 2 park homes (he makes the distinction between park homes and mobile homes for some reason) and the person who tutored him on how to do it owns a holiday caravan park and has help set up around 40 park homes on private land as well. They freely admit they use a loophole to do it. And all the ones they have done are in Devon.

Anyone who is interested get a copy of park homes magazine.
Regards



X

Are we still referring to this?

He said; I should buy a paddock in my daughters name. She then leases it to me. I put a park home on it and live there. Temporary dwelling on temporary site. Sorted.

I'm really interested in this loophole, from a number of angles, but not least as I am a Parish Clerk and we (Parish Council) get to comment on planning applications and we have a role in "policing" the Parish. This means that I need to report any suspected breaches of planning, for further investigation. So ... I need have some awareness of what is and is not allowed. So indulge me and I'll tell you why I think it's a planning breach.

A paddock - if that is the correct description of the land - is classed as Agricultural land. All Agricultural land is graded and a paddock would probably be grade 3, which would indicate that it was suitable for grazing. Grades 1 & 2 being higher quality and suitable for growing crops. Grades 4 and 5 being ... pretty useless, but still classed as agricultural. Defra has this guide to the classification of agricultural land.

In certain circumstances, development of agricultural land is allowed, without the need for permission - the permitted developments are set out in Annexe E to Planning Policy 7 - Sustainable Development in Rural Areas.

If you look at E3 (in the Annexe) - it specifically states that permitted development "must not give rise to ...... a dwelling". So, a park home, mobile home, hut, cabin, caravan or anywhere capable of housing a human being is not a permitted development.

And E4 states that "development giving rise to buildings, structures or works not intended for agricultural use is not permitted". Note, that the building is determined by how it looks, not how it is to be used. So ... a mobile home is not permitted, even if you intend to use it as a chicken coop!

So .. I think it's fairly clear that the siting of any building that looks like a home, or anything that could be classed as dwelling, is not permitted development.

Therefore, one has to apply for planning permission.

Even if one was to claim that the mobile/caravan or whatever ... was for the purpose of housing an agricultural worker - that it was necessary to have the worker housed on the land to manage it - planning permission is still required. And even then, there are strict criteria. You would have to demonstrate a significant, viable business operation to support the application. See this recent application that was turned out - a family bought some agricultural land, put sheep & chickens on there. Then a mobile home ... applied for permission for the home ... and got turned down (in our Planning area, but a different Parish. I couldn't find one for our Parish, but this is the most recent example in our area).

So how are these Park Homes being erected in rural areas without the need for Planning Permission? Well ... I'm stumped! But I would really like to know - any chance you can post brief details?

Cheers

Debt_Free_Chick

Also, much of Devon is in an AONB .. with even stricter planning policies!

This is interesting .... the website for Park Home & Holiday Caravan magazine has a poll on it's home page. It asks the question ...

"Do you think local authorities should give planning permission for more park home estates in your area??"

So ... they seem to know that you need planning permission.

Confused