A blank canvas

[Twisted firestopper]

'Ow do.

Before I launch into a thousand questions, I suppose I'd better introduce myself. I'm about to be retired (hopefully not in a Bladerunner way!), and I'm in the fortunate position of having a big project to get my teeth into.

Basically, we've inherited a Riverside property that we want move into. To all intents and purposes it's a double static caravan that has been made in to a log cabin, with a tiled roof, but it feels like a bungalow, and has full sized rooms and large bathroom and kitchen.It's been lived in for the past 30 years, is structurally sound (we had it surveyed by a static van surveyor) but very dated and tired. The plan is to sell our current home and move by the river mortgage free. We're at the very first step, deciding whether to totally refurb the old place ( gutting the interior and new modern cladding and windows and doors) or removing it entirely and replacing it with a new "temporary" structure or going the whole hog and apply to planning for a new build.

No option is off the table, but  at the end of it, we don't want a mortgage. Budget would be a max 150 grand, but much less if possible! I'm a competent diyer and will do the grunt work, but the serious stuff will be done by pros. There is only electricity to the site so gas central heating is off the menu so air pump or solar will definitely be considered. I'll post photos soon.

Decisions, decisions.

TFS

[IanR]

Hi and Welcome.

 

Does the property currently have planning permission? Sounds like when it first appeared on the landscape it may not have had residential planning permission, if so has that ever been normalised?

[saveasteading]

Read this site for a few weeks, and search back for any key words that seem relevant, and you will learn an awful lot.

Someone put up a first principles checklist a few weeks ago.

 

We all welcome photos of the site, for context, but it is best not to publish personal or location details, for many reasons and as all this is findable in online search.

[Twisted firestopper]

3 minutes ago, IanR said:

Hi and Welcome.

 

Does the property currently have planning permission? Sounds like when it first appeared on the landscape it may not have had residential planning permission, if so has that ever been normalised?

Hi, and thanks Ian. There is no planning permission on the site currently. Basically, there was a brick bungalow on the plot 30 years ago, it was demolished and the owner put the static on as a temporary measure,  ran out of cash and made the static his home. Then my in-laws bought the place 20 years ago, it had been normalised and isn't counted as a park home and doesn't need a park home licence. We have all the solicitor's letters and the agreement with the council. I've been trying to get in touch with planning to see just what they might allow, but no luck so far as they're blaming Covid for being slow on pre planning advice.

[IanR]

3 minutes ago, Twisted firestopper said:

it had been normalised and isn't counted as a park home and doesn't need a park home licence. 

 

Good news, that was the first concern, and you'd have needed to take a few steps before speaking to the local planning authority.

[ProDave]

Hi and welcome.

 

What a wonderful opportunity with so many options and possibilities.

 

If the existing structure is really a pair of static caravans that have been "improved" then at the very least you should get a certificate of lawful development and then you can replace the existing structure with something that meeds the requirements of a "caravan" (which does NOT mean it has to be on wheels) and you can build such a building to a high standard and very well insulated.  that has the advantage of no planning (as you already have it) and no building regulations, an immense amount of freedom.

 

Alternatively you could apply for planning for a replacement dwelling and build it as a proper house without having to be constrained by size limits of a caravan.

 

Plenty of options, take your time to decide which is right and you will find the forum very helpful.  And we like photographs.