The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Buildings & planning => Topic started by: JemimaJ on June 09, 2021, 02:20:21 pm
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Hello! Hope everyone is well.
We are hoping to buy a small plot of agricultural land in Wales to plant an orchard. We live 200 miles away presently but have family in Wales and hope to retire there in a few years once the orchard is established.
We would need to site a caravan there (preferably a static) in order to spend time tending to the orchard.
I have read some of the previous threads about planning permission but I remain confused as there seems to be a difference of opinion.
Should I maybe seek legal advice first?
Or can anyone give me a definitive answer about whether we can justify the caravan as it is needed in order to fulfill the purpose of the land? Technically we would be the seasonal workers?
Thank you so much
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You cannot put a static caravan in a field without planning permission.
This is the website to see
https://www.planningportal.co.uk/wales_en/
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I note your hopeful angle on seasonal workers [member=212617]JemimaJ[/member] . I am not an expert on permitted development for accommodation for seasonal workers. However, some thoughts ...
Firstly, I note you say "small plot" - small plots below 5ha have quite limited permitted dev' rights although any permitted below-5ha dev's (check for planning rules ont' web) do not need to be notified to Planning Auth' unlike all similar dev's for holdings above 5ha.
BUT then, please consider that any potential permitted dev' for seasonal workers accommodation also means only seasonally situated accommodation: as far as I know, a static caravan permanently left on the land for seasonal occupation does not count as "seasonal", i.e. temporary development.
Perris is almost certainly right in your case I reckon.