Static Caravan in Back Garden in Scotland

[tacali]

Looking for some advice. 

 

I have searched and searched the Internet.

 

We were looking at building a garden room then when pricing ut up someone suggested putting a static caravan in the our garden (we have a very large garden).

 

We were told by one person that we wouldn't need planning permission as it isn't going to be used as a seperate permanent living space. The next person at the council office was very rude and said we were lied to and we need planning permission and "we are on her radar" so not to put anything I the garden now and she wouldnt approve the planning permission even if we appled. I'm absolutely gutted we just need that extra space and this would of solved everything. 

 

 

Any clues on what we can do?

 

[joe90]

Not sure about Scotland but yes you can put a caravan in your garden it’s classed as a temp building, it does not even need wheels if it can be craned out and moved on a lorry. You are right about it being separate, I.e. no bathroom or kitchen means it is linked to the house for these functions.

 

https://www.ukcaravancentre.co.uk/blog/do-i-need-planning-permission-for-a-static-caravan-on-private-land/

 

[ProDave]

You can have a static caravan as a garden outbuilding without planning permission.  If you connect it to a drainage system that part will need a building warrant but still not planning permission.

 

Expect to get someone from the council snooping.  If you are just using it as a general purpose garden building as for instance storage and a work place, or a summerhouse then you will be fine.  What the council wants to check is you are not using it for self contained habitation.  That is where you will need planning permission.  So if they suspect you are using it for that, they have a right to come and check.

[Kelvin]

My guess is the second person you spoke with has assumed you want it for someone to live in regardless of what you might have told them. This is because the council have to deal with a lot of this. 
 

Be mindful that they  look like an eyesore to some people. Therefore don’t place it in such a way that it’s in a neighbour’s line of sight assuming you have close neighbours. Not entirely convinced caravans make great garden rooms. How will the garden room be used? 

[Redbeard]

I don't know the Permitted Dev'p't rules in Scotland, but I do know that you could construct a timber-framed garden room and achieve far, far better insulation and air-tightness standards than a bog-standard static caravan. Yes, you can improve upon the 'standard standards' of a caravan, but as that would effectively involve building a better-insulated structure around it, surely better to build that structure without the impediment of a caravan...

[ProDave]

What a static caravan brings to the party is a way to get over the permitted development eaves and ridge height limit.  They have a different limit of internal ceiling no more than 3M high.  And they are exempt from building regs where some large outbuildings might require that.

 

They can also be very cheap in terms of £ per square metre.  So there is merit in buying one and improving it.