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Hi all, we're trying to sort out our onsite accommodation as we'll be homeless in a few months. Initially we were thinking a static - but the max width we can fit through gateways etc is only 10ft, the novelty of which I think would wear off quite quickly. I've now started to look at twin lodges, which come in two 10ft wide sections. This would give us somewhere comfortable to live, then we could move it away from the house after the build and use it possibly for airbnb/family etc - something which is a bit more desirable in a lodge than a static. I'm trying to sort out what sort of groundworks I need to support a lodge. I've been told that a slab is preferable, due to the risk of the two halfs moving relative to each other. Has anyone done this for a lodge before? Would the slab need to be reinforced (it would need to be at least 20'x30')? Ideally we would like something with less of a footprint as it will be sited in a field - are smaller footings at various points a reasonable compromise? Thanks all

I'm looking to build my own house (in Scotland) using 2 static caravans joined together, creating a 90 square meter house. Would using static caravans as the structure for my house pose any problems for planning permission?

On a fairly regular basis, we get questions regarding whether it is permitted to live on site in a static caravan. Schedule 1 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 / Schedule 2 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 both refer to paragraphs 2 - 10 of the First Schedule of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, which details the permitted use of land as a caravan site where a caravan site licence is not required (to obtain a caravan site licence, you require planning permission). http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/8-9/62 Paragraph 9 states Building and engineering sites Subject to the provisions of paragraph 13 of this Schedule, a site licence shall not be required for the use as a caravan site of land which forms part of, or adjoins, land on which building or engineering operations are being carried out (being operations for the carrying out of which permission under Part III of the Act of 1947 has, if required, been granted) if that use is for the accommodation of a person or persons employed in connection with the said operations. Many people believe that this paragraph means they can live on site with their families. For those individuals who are employed in connection with the relevant building operations that may be true, but the paragraph does not cover family members not employed in that process, children being a good example. Whilst it may be the case that individual Planning Authorities are more relaxed about their interpretation of this paragraph, and individual circumstances will differ, the only way to be sure that you can permanently reside on site is to obtain planning permission. The most straightforward way of doing so is to include provision of the static caravan in your main planning application.