Planning permission for a caravan on site?

[Weebles]

Do we need planning permission for a static caravan on site?  Caravan is intended to go within 1m of boundary (certainly within 2m) but will be within the garden of the house that will be demolished.  We have planning permission for the new build and are sorting out the pre-commencement conditions and tweaks needed with another application.  So could ask for temporary planning permission for a caravan on that application....is it needed? I can't find anything definitive online (South Oxfordshire) but it seems we might need permission.....?

[Bitpipe]

Our LA (RBWM, Berks) did not require PP for a temp caravan, like you we stuck it in the garden prior to the works  - was there for a year before we moved in, we used it for 18 months and then it was empty for another 6 after we moved in (took a while to sell it). Have had a few friends do similar during major refurb and no PP was required.

 

LA will want you to pay council tax on it though (usually A band), you will need to notify them when you demolish existing to get the old property de-listed and they will then start to charge you for the van - technically they can charge you for it as soon as its habitable.

 

We were stuck paying for ours after the new house was re-listed (50% of the A band) until we proved it had left site (pics of it being removed sufficed). 

[ProDave]

Strictly speaking you should have applied for temporary PP for the caravan at the same time as doing the full PP for the house.  They usually insert a clause that the 'van must be removed when the house is completed.

 

Up here they didn't start charging us council tax for the 'van until we actually moved in. It was sat there nearly 2 years empty before that.

 

We want to keep the 'van as a workshop and studio once the house is complete. I argued that with the planners at the planning application stage, pointing out to them that on the day of completion I could remove the 'van from site, then immediately put an identical one back in the identical position and it would be a garden outbuilding under permitted development. They accepted that argument so modified the condition to habitational use of the 'van will cease when the house is completed.

 

If we have any issued with council tax on it after the house is finished I will be arguing that it's no longer habitable (as the PP forbids it) and it's just a garden outbuilding and not subject to council tax.

[Temp]

Depends on what the van will be used for.

 

Just stored on site - no PP required.

Used as a site van (workers tea break, store H&S kit, WC etc) - no PP required

Used for building site workers to live in - no PP required

Used for other people (eg spouse and children of "builders") to live in - PP is required.

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/596/pdfs/uksi_20150596_en.pdf

 

PART 4

Temporary buildings and uses

Class A – temporary buildings and structures

 

Permitted development

A. The provision on land of buildings, moveable structures, works, plant or machinery required

temporarily in connection with and for the duration of operations being or to be carried out on,

in, under or over that land or on land adjoining that land.

[Weebles]

Thanks all. As the kids will be living in it too that means PP needed.

council tax is still expensive in Band A - well over £1k a year here. 

[Weebles]

Though having re-read Bitpipe's comments I am just checking with our LA.

[Bitpipe]

10 hours ago, Weebles said:

Though having re-read Bitpipe's comments I am just checking with our LA.

 

Ok, I'll confess to never having explicitly approached the LA for 'permission' but my planning consultant said that it wasn't necessary, he was ex LA and seemed to know his onions (got us planning after a refusal). So I just plonked it on site - ours was to the rear so not visible from street (until we demolished the house).

 

I see plenty of vans outside local builds and don't think each has sought PP - I'm guessing if it's still hanging around after completion then LA will want it shifted.

 

I did receive a letter from planning enforcement a few weeks ago regarding our site container that's still out front (a neighbour had complained). It referenced that it did not have planning and I was 'encouraged' to remove it in 21 days as they believed it was no longer required. I wrote back saying that it was required until landscaping was complete and they agreed that this was fine. Have just agreed a private sale so will probably shift it in a few weeks but it will be when I want, not them

 

 

 

 

 

 

[johnniewalker]

Interesting topic . Something I have considered. I wonder if same applies to motorhomes. Indeed, I wonder if it is illegal to stay (live. sleep) in a motorhome on the street in front of plot...

[Temp]

http://www.ukmotorhomes.net/motorhome-faqs/11-can-i-sleep-in-my-camper

 

 

[joe90]

I didn't apply for pp for my static, the council contacted me to ask if I was living in it, and I am not ( honest!) I told them it was for builders facilities, toilet, mess hall etc, and I still lived in Bristol so they were satisfied and I heard no more.