Planning Laws and overnight MH Parking? (1 Viewer)

[magicsurfbus]

Hypothetical situation - you buy yourself a small plot of land in a part of the UK that you like visiting in your motorhome. You make sure the land is solid enough to park your motorhome on by adding gravel, slabs, or a concrete hard-standing. You secure it with a boundary fence and lockable gate. You don't at this stage link it to mains water, electricity or sewers.

What's to stop you parking there overnight? Anything? Planning Laws? Health & Safety regs? Change of land use regulations? Any ideas?

 

[jonandshell]

You could affiliate yourself to a club and become a Caravan Club Certificated Location, Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated Site or Motorhome Fun Certified Fun Location, for up to 5 vans, all without planning permission.
Any other use would require planning as far as we know.

 

[beachcaster]

I was under the impression that as long as it was not permanent you could park there...........hopefully someone will come along with the definiative answer.

barry

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[GJH]

It is the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 which is the relevant legislation. Brief analysis, with link to the full Act, Here.

With no dwelling house to make Para 1 effective it seems to me that you would have to work within the restrictions of Para 2 to remain legal - or, as jonandshell said, obtain an exemption cert.

 

[Gromett]

I thought it was 28 days per year for any land you own but don't have planning permission to live at?

You couldn't get a CL license I don't thing as you need to provide fresh water and waste facilities?

 

[John & Joan]

I thought it was 28 days per year for any land you own but don't have planning permission to live at?

You couldn't get a CL license I don't thing as you need to provide fresh water and waste facilities?

Hi Carl & magicsurfbus

It is a total of 28 days in a year for human habitation. However you can only use the van for 1 (or 2 max) nights at a time, as GJH pointed out.

You could store the van on the land, but not use it after this time limit.

You can camp in a tent on the land for up to 28 days in a year without an exemption or PP. That can be 28 days continuous use. With a camping exemption that goes up to 42 days continuous with a maximum of 60 days in a year.

You still need PP even for fences and hard standings.

To get a CL you would need to provide a supply of drinking water and a means of disposing of black (toilet) waste in an approved manner. You do not need formal PP, but the club issuing the exemption does have to consult with the local planners and householders near the location. These consultations are about access, appearance (landscaping and maintenance) and the sites affect on the amenities of the area.

John

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[Stephen & Jeannie]

Go for it !!

Itinerants do it all the time ! And look how long it takes to get them off...Human Rights etc !!

 

[Drew]

Bearing in mind that it is the Local Planning Authority who have to deal with it then, whilst illegal, they would have to
1. find out you are there
2. prove you are staying there overnight, they usually only work 9-5 weekdays and have far more important things to do.
3. are more interested in not fouling up so will take every opportunity to not make a decision

Having spent the last 4 years trying to convince our LPA that the people living in the field next door are actually living there I can tell you it is hard work.

Sorry rant over..:Blush: