The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Crofting => Topic started by: craiglang on June 17, 2019, 09:20:39 pm

Title: Yes You Can Have Static Caravan On Your Land UK " Without Planning Permission"
Post by: craiglang on June 17, 2019, 09:20:39 pm
Hi Guys

Sometime ago I posted about the planning laws around the use of Static Caravan on my land and also some other things, I needed to know. And could you station a static caravan on your land for use with your smallholding..?

I got mixed response, but the main answer was "NO" well this is not the truth after 6 months, visit from enforcement officer and a planning application later. The answer is definitely "YES" you can site a static caravan without planning.

I also applied for retrospective planning for 3 small buildings and to keep my static caravan on my land, which was when I was told that I did not need planning permission for the caravan. So the caravan did not even need planning permission, as it movable and would be auxiliary to the use of the smallholding, which is only 2.7 acres in size.

I went down the Health & Safety at work or in the workplace route and also to store, first aid, animal medications and other farming implements etc.

I think the main thing is that you write a good planning statement to go along with your application, explaining all that you intend to do or use the land for. Not all farms have to be hundreds of acres. This I believe was instrumental in me getting the planning and the right to keep the caravan on the land. They want to know you are not just going to leave it there and do nothing with the land. Give them as much information as possible and show them you are serous about your farming activities.

This is also after enforcement officer said that I would have to move it, along with all the buildings..? Not a chance and I applied for planning instead. I studied the national planning policies and also local planning policies and what farm workers are entitled to, which includes me and Health & Safety is one of them, a static caravan provides all of these. I used some of policies in the planning statement, including the health and safety at work policy.

The planning department also tried to charge me extra £366 for change of use from hosticulture to agriculture for the land and buildings, change of use requires no fee what so ever. I had paid £96 online which is what I was told and what the online application asked for plus service fee, so around £123 all in.

But they still wanted £366 which I refused and denied to pay it and low and behold I was correct. The fee I first paid was the correct fee. It took several months for them to figure this out which is just amazing...? several months for them to admit defeat and accept my initial payment to process the planning application. I wonder how many people have been asked for more money and just paid it to have their application accepted...?

The fact remains that you do not need planning for a static caravan, if you have one on site. You can have one for the reasons mentioned above health and safety, but also state that you are using it for storing other things for your farming enterprise and that it is safe dry place for medications etc.

Also another false piece of information out there is that you can only stay in your caravan for 28 days per year. This is not true you can stay there as many times as you like along as you have another residence to reside at. But I believe you can stay in it only 28 consecutive days.

Also place your Static furthest from the roadside in a hard to see place if possible. Maybe plant some trees etc. You can plant some large lylandi until more suitable trees grow. I also placed the caravan so that the neighbours can only see the rear and not a full view of it.

My point is don't stick your caravan right next to the road or neighbours house. I have 5 homes and small farms all around me and trust me when I say this, they are horrible to one and other, but once I pass their homes then Im on my little piece of England. I do talk to them but they never supported or oppose my application.

I would like to say thank you to some of the Accidental Smallholder members for helping me out. I would also like to say a few words to the people trying to start a small farm wether for animals or growing produce.

Do not take information given at face value from your planning department, you will be surprised at the amount they don't know around planning laws. Also do not take information from people who have not gone through the process. If you get information then research the information before you take it to be the truth.

Also do not pay any of your hard earned money, to the so called expert planning consultants who are nothing but vultures. You will end up paying them a fortune and they do not care if you win or loose and it will take just as long, if not longer. As if you did the application yourself. Remember its in their best interests to drag this planning process on as long as possible. If they leave out a little bit of vital information from the application, then you will have to pay them more for another.

If you are really serious about what you are wanting to do, then you should have know problem doing some research. Its all on the internet for you to read, copy and keep. All appeals are on there and if you go to appeal and you find an appeal, more or less the same as yours, that was successful, then you can site that appeal to the inspector.

If you are going throw the planning process to live your dream, then you can do this yourself. It may take a little time to learn and research the planning laws in the UK and Local. But you will have that knowledge for ever and you be well advised for any other applications you may apply for. If you choose a planning consultant then you only know what they tell you..?

One last thing once you have your farm business up and running if it is a business. Then you will already have the caravan on site which has been there for how ever long it takes you to get your business up and running and if you do decide to live in it in the future. Then there is nothing that they can really say to stop you and if you make profit one year out of three or fives years.

This will be somewhere in the time frame they will give you to turn a profit. Then you will get the right to live on your farm.

This is a long road if you do not have the millions to pay for a fully functional farm. But at the end of the day if you really want it, then go out and take it because this is what you will have to do.

PS: I even went as far as to start a blog for my small farm called https://pygmyfarm.co.uk seamed fitting name for small farm lol. It's to help people who are looking to live the same lifestyle. Articles on finding cheap land to purchase, planning out their farms, how to get your hands on cheap building materials and so on. I will be writing more article and posting how to videos.

Good Luck Guys