# Living on your own land? Caravan/Static?



## Blizzard (22 August 2007)

I was wondering if anyone does this, or knows the ins and outs of doing so.

We have the opportunity to buy a yard, and were wondering about the legalities of plonking a static on it and living on site!

It seems to be pretty common around here, but knowing my luck we would be the ones who got into trouble! 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Any experience or knowledge greatly appreciated!


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## jumpthemoon (22 August 2007)

Hi, my friend did this. I think you still need planning permission for a static caravan (not certain about that though) but I know to build a house they had to have a working farm with cattle. There has to be a reason to live on site and horses don't constitute a god enough reason - cattle do.


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## Blizzard (22 August 2007)

We would be happy with a static TBH, eventually in the hope to get one of those log cabin style things.

I dont think 2.5 acres would be enough for cattle, would one cow count?!


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## flyingfeet (22 August 2007)

Worth having a planning officier to visit to discuss. If it was withinthe curtilage of a house, you would have parlimentary rights, unless in AONB

I recently got planning for one on the farm, but had to go down the log cabin route for a more aesthetically pleasing end result and yes in a AONB.


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## Blizzard (22 August 2007)

Thanks for that, Im sure its not an AONB, thats very reassuring if you got permission in such an area though!


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## reynold (22 August 2007)

you also have problems if it is green belt, AGLV (area great landscape value), conservation zone, etc

2.5 acres would not justify living on site in any way under current planning rules and horses, horse breeding, market gardening, poultry, etc have all been tried and failed

you likely would get a caravan for 'day living' but little else


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## MillionDollar (22 August 2007)

You need PP for either. TBH its just as hard to get it for one of these as it is to get PP for a house. Once you have PP for a caravan the council knows it will be pretty easy for you to get a house, especially after 5 years (think its 5 years).

It took us 4 years to get PP for our house on our farm! And that had barns/outbuildings, etc, already.


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## flyingfeet (22 August 2007)

My planning permission is only 3 years and extremely restricted. Its only for my sole use and the reasons for the planning were my fathers ill health and the house prices in our village (i.e. I cannot afford to buy a house)

You need to have a reasoned argument to back up the planning permission.


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## Blizzard (22 August 2007)

Sure I understand that, like I said though we would be happy to just have a caravan on there, ideal dream situation is a log cabin, but that is not why we are buying the yard.

Thre has been so much land up for sale around here, and lots of it is just grazing, yet nothing seems to happen when people put statics on it.

For example 6 acres recently sold and they have SEVEN static caravans in the yard area, there arent even any stables. 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I wouldnt just put a caravan on there though!


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## flyingfeet (22 August 2007)

My log cabin is a mobile home - they wouldn't let me have a non-wood cladding static caravan. 

Works out the same price as a normal new static caravan

However .... here's the kicker. If you are a landowner you can store static caravans on your ground. 

So if you don't want to live in it, you can plonk one there any time. I cannot remember how many, but farmers are allowed to store them. 

We had two office mobile units on the farm for ages (not used and hidden). Never had any complaints.


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## Blizzard (22 August 2007)

Yes there is a nearby yard that has about 60 caravans on it, static and normal ones, people actually live in a couple of them, but I dont think the council knows.


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## reynold (22 August 2007)

the problem with permission for a caravan - whilst it sounds perfectly logical to normal people like us (!) it isn't logical to the planners and/or nimbys

it does also mean that if you can prove residential use for 4 years then you can get permission for residential under CLEUD (cert. of lawfulness for existing use or development)

that is why planners don't like to let people residential use of a caravan - 'cos it leads to a house or permanent dwelling in the end

near me - one yard has PP for a mobile home - they've had that for 15 years or more - and when they applied to have their perm. permission for the mobile home (one of those that looks like a house - double 'park home' type) to be turned into a bricks and mortar bungalow of same foot print on same site 

they were turned down locally and on appeal - as the bricks and mortar would be a permanent dwelling and the 'mobile' (that has been there for over 15 years remember) is 'temporary'

like I said - planners are not necessarily strong in the area of common sense

be patient and save your pennies - there is a change coming in the next 3 or so years to the planning regime. It will make it much easier for small local extensions to houses, etc to happen

e.g. atm to have an extension built toyour house you nearly always need to go for full PP. what is proposed is that you would merely need to get a cert. signed from neighbours to agree there would be no impact on them and you'd just be able to start building

things are going to chage as well in regard to countryside after the recent floods - no more building on flood plains so other 'green' land will have to be accepted as residential


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## Donkeymad (22 August 2007)

We would ideally like a log cabin on our land, especially as we are prone to horse attacks and burglaries and have some very expensive carriages that we hire out. We have tried everything we can think of, including a caravan, but cannot get permission for anything. We live right on the edge of a village, are next to the A30 and there are already two bungalows IN the field (with ahedge around though). Many people do seem to get away with plonking something there and living in it, some get found out and told to move, but still live there. If you feel brave enough to fight the council, then go for it, if, like us, you would rather not, then we are waiting for something to happen. Good luck


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## Donkeymad (22 August 2007)

Oooops, sorry, post came up twice


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## Blizzard (22 August 2007)

Thanks Reynold and Donkeymad, all food for thought!

Worst case scenario is we buy a yard we cant live at, if we do that though we would oly want to be spending about half of our current budget, as of course we would still need a house.


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## jinglejoys (22 August 2007)

To have a caravan or log cabin you have to prove a need and that that you can earn enough off the land for one persons wages .Horses don't count as agricultural livestock so they don't count.(Unless your name is SIth with two F's that is then you can do whatever you like! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




)


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## flyingfeet (22 August 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Unless your name is SIth with two F's that is then you can do whatever you like! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




) 

[/ QUOTE ]
*Blank look*
You have to explain that one!!


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## reynold (22 August 2007)

the only chance you have at all is to try for a dwelling that does not involve a new structure

i.e. buy something that has a barn on it and then try for a conversion 

but - the catch with that now is that a few years ago it was common for 'redundant farm buildings' to be converted to dwellings.

now the planning guidance is that these redundant farm buildings should be converted to workshops to create rural employment and not dwellings

so - the way round may be to investigate going for what is called a work/live unit

i.e. forget the horses and the farm - acquire a business that can be done - rural based - that needs a workshop or similar and apply for a work/live unit


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## Blizzard (22 August 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Unless your name is SIth with two F's that is then you can do whatever you like! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




) 

[/ QUOTE ]
*Blank look*
You have to explain that one!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto!


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## Blizzard (22 August 2007)

[ QUOTE ]


so - the way round may be to investigate going for what is called a work/live unit

i.e. forget the horses and the farm - acquire a business that can be done - rural based - that needs a workshop or similar and apply for a work/live unit 

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for all this info!

Hmm any idea's on what kind of business it could be?


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## Happytohack (22 August 2007)

The chances of your getting PP for a caravan/log cabin are pretty slim.  But I know of lots of people who have bought a yard and simply plonked a mobile home on it discreetly and lived there for ages.  In one case it was a big livery yard, and so was run as a business, so post, etc. was not a problem.  We recently had the Planning officer here when we wanted to get something for my mum to live in.  They said we could not have a mobile home as this constituted a separate dwelling, but we could have a log cabin as long as it didn't have a proper kitchen - the reason being that the person living in it had to be dependent on the householders.  At the same time, a neighbour who owns a bit of land plonked a mobile home on it, connected it to the services and in spite of the planning dept serving enforcement notices on him, it is still there - they haven't got the time or resources to pursue every case.  So it is up to you whether you want to take a gamble or not. BTW we go the log cabin for mum which is great, but is far more permanent than a mobile home!


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## JessPickle (22 August 2007)

Well our YO had always lived in a mobile home for over 10 years! dont think (not certain) they have planning permission!

Allthoough they are now in the middle of building a cottage after gaining planning permission


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## Donkeymad (22 August 2007)

[ QUOTE ]


i.e. forget the horses and the farm - acquire a business that can be done - rural based - that needs a workshop or similar and apply for a work/live unit 

[/ QUOTE ]

Not meaning to worry you, but we did try this too, and failed. Then again, we have a notoriously bad council and we didn't persue it at all.


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## spider (22 August 2007)

I know years ago a neighbouring farmer's son wanted to build a house on the farm for himself and his wife and weren't allowed to even though there was a ruined cottage there already.


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