Static Caravan

molerat

Hello123 wrote: »

I guess putting it on the front garden will be much easier to manoeuvre (hope we don't need planning permission!)

You probably need planning permission, you may not get permission to site in front garden and it may be for a limited time only. Best have a quiet chat chat with your local planning dept.

treecol

You do not need planning permission for a static. It is a caravan & there is no size limit for it. Even a 60ft x 30ft rough cast twin unit is classed as a caravan. But if you are living in your house, & you site one in the garden & rent it to strangers, it will need planning permission.
We lived in one in my in laws garden for years - the council told us we did not need planning permission as it was considered an ancillary dwelling & we were direct relatives. There is no size restriction as it is mobile, so to speak. We were there for 8 years, council came out when we were 1st there, once they were satisfied with the arrangements, they never visited again.
You may live in one whilst you either build or renovate your house, but I think you only have 5 years to begin a new build, but you'd need to check that.
They do weigh many tonnes - the transporter who moved ours told us it was 6.5 tonnes (42ft x 14ft), he moved a heavier one the week before & had to go onto the ministries weighbridge. They are very heavy.

Gloomendoom

Interesting link with regard to planning permission...

3. Do I need planning permission to live in a static caravan while completing a self-build or renovation?

Generally speaking, you do not need planning approval to live in a mobile home on the site where you are carrying out building work. As long as one of the family members is involved in the construction or management of the project on a full-time basis.
However, as with all planning issues, each case is individual and different councils may have conflicting requirements. For example, with a renovation project because the house is already in existence, the mobile home would be within the dwelling-house curtilage so not require planning approval.
For a completely new build, i.e. no house has been there before, some councils would require planning approval. For this situation it is advisable to include the mobile home in your initial planning application, it will not cost any extra to add and is highly unlikely to affect the planning for your house.
We recommend you discuss your situation with a local planning officer before siting a mobile home on your build site.
More information on self builds and mobile homes.

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