Static Caravan / Mortgage / Planning Permission Dilemma!

catherine1987

I would like to buy a small piece of land to keep my static caravan on. I cannot afford to pay cash for the land so I need a mortgage or a loan. I already own the caravan and it has a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. The caravan will not be my primary residence, but I would like to be able to use it for my personal use more than 28days/year.

I would also like to install full plumbing and electrics to the caravan on the land. Occasionally I would like to be able to rent out the caravan to visitors.

I am not currently a homeowner, I am a rental tenant (in case that matters... so this will be my first mortgage).

Can anybody advise what I need to do first to get the ball rolling with this? So much mixed information online, do I need a commercial mortgage, a land mortgage? I am assuming I will need planning permission for a small holding, but does it make a difference if it might be used sometimes as a business? Help!

planning_officer

I can't answer the Q's about mortgage, but yes it will need planning permission. In effect, you're creating a dwelling, as it sounds pretty permanent - you want to live there sometimes, you want to rent it out sometimes and you want to plumb it in and connect to an electricity supply. All that points to the use of the land as a dwelling.


As to whether you're likely to get permission, you would have to approach your local planning dept to find out if the land has any special designation, what policies apply and whether it might be acceptable in principle.