Riding arena as foundations

[Jilly]

I have an unused riding arena (20 x 40m) which I think one day might be considered a brownfield site for development, however, I can't face a controversial planning application and have run out of money anyway. I'm thinking it might be acceptable to place a granny annexe on it, perhaps one which complies with the Caravan Act if I can make it suitably black wood clad for the Conservation Area. It was quite a feat to construct on clay. It is surrounded by hedges and trees on two sides and has > 200mm carboniferous limestone with herringbone drainage and then silica sand and shredded rubber on top. It has never moved one iota having cars and  big lorries on it and currently a shipping container. 

 

I was disappointed to discover therefore that my structural engineer recommended piled foundations even for such a caravan (I could accept this for a building). 

 

Any thoughts? 

Edited December 5, 2021 by Jilly

[ProDave]

A caravan as a dwelling WILL still need planning permission.  It is building regs that it avoids.  So I would say you would be okay just placing a few pads to spread the load, the more the better.

[JohnMo]

Speak to different structural engineer?  Or challenge the one you have.  Ours wanted all sorts of steel in our walls, until I challenged him and then he dropped the requirements considerably and to far more what you would expect.

 

Trouble is they take the easy, low risk for themselves approach, because it's easy and requires not thinking out of the box.

[nod]

33 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Speak to different structural engineer?  Or challenge the one you have.  Ours wanted all sorts of steel in our walls, until I challenged him and then he dropped the requirements considerably and to far more what you would expect.

 

Trouble is they take the easy, low risk for themselves approach, because it's easy and requires not thinking out of the box.

As above 

Some SE engineers seem to think that piled foundations are the answer to everything 

Others use them as a last resort 

Foundations for Something like you are proposing should be very inexpensive