Long term or seasonal Pitches - How many are there around. (1 Viewer)

[Spawn_e_git]

Hi.

Hope this is the right forum to post in.

My question is regarding seasonal or long term pitches.

A friend of mine has been living with his family since selling his house. To the best of my knowledge, the plan was that the family were going to sell their respective properties and club together to but a number of houses on some land in Wales that had a small caravan site business to run and a few houses/cottages.
Anyway, so my mate sold his house and moved in temp with family to be ready for the rest but in the end one or more family members pulled out and my friend now needs to move out and on so to speak.

He does not have the money to buy a property outright and renting whilst its an option, I don't think he wants to live in the city o suburbs etc.

I am thinking of pointing him in the direction of a Caravan with a long term or yearly pitch.

I found that the Caravan and Camping club have two sites where you can buy a yearly pitch for between £50 and £65 a week. My friend is on long term disability but is not an invalid so he would be more than capable to cope on his own.

How many sites have long term (Greater than 6 month) pitches available?

He is almost about to buy a plot of Woodland in Wales but he is being told he can put a caravan on that but all I read it a max of 28 days a year on Woodland and you'll never get planning permission to make a permanent residence.

Also this amount he is paying for this wood would take almost all his money and he would have no water supply/sanitation etc.

If I can get him on a nice site in the countryside until the Spring, at least of he still wants to do the Woodland thing, he has all summer to prepare the land for habitation during the winter.

If I can convince him to spend £3-4K on a half descent old Caravan, I can tow it somewhere for him and he can base himself there for 6-12 months and then if he wants/needs to move on, I can drive down and drag him somewhere else (he has Motorbike, no car).

Are these types of pitches readily available?

Can you negotiate with smaller site owners and if so how much would it be. if the CCC are £50-65 a week then I would hope a smaller site with basic facilities would be cheaper.

Any advise would be great and I don't want the guy to end up in a Woodland with facilities over the winter, he is almost 60 and if the winter is harsh, it could be his last.

 

[TheBig1]

There are special rules about forestry sites and I think, I repeat, THINK that you can place a hut on the land for forestry workers. That can be moved from time to time, but would need several acres

 

[Spawn_e_git]

There are special rules about forestry sites and I think, I repeat, THINK that you can place a hut on the land for forestry workers. That can be moved from time to time, but would need several acres

Yes he is looking to buy 9 acres so he can actually put 3 caravans on it but cannot live on the land more than 28 days in a year.
He thinks he'll just 'be quiet" as it's in the middle of nowhere.
He's bonkers, it's a mad idea that he's got a very good chance of coming unstuck.

Just got off the phone to him at least trying to convince him to put the caravan on a site local to the land at least until the spring where he has the better weather to prepare the land but hes not having it.......

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[The Wino]

Hi.

Hope this is the right forum to post in.

My question is regarding seasonal or long term pitches.

A friend of mine has been living with his family since selling his house. To the best of my knowledge, the plan was that the family were going to sell their respective properties and club together to but a number of houses on some land in Wales that had a small caravan site business to run and a few houses/cottages.
Anyway, so my mate sold his house and moved in temp with family to be ready for the rest but in the end one or more family members pulled out and my friend now needs to move out and on so to speak.

He does not have the money to buy a property outright and renting whilst its an option, I don't think he wants to live in the city o suburbs etc.

I am thinking of pointing him in the direction of a Caravan with a long term or yearly pitch.

I found that the Caravan and Camping club have two sites where you can buy a yearly pitch for between £50 and £65 a week. My friend is on long term disability but is not an invalid so he would be more than capable to cope on his own.

How many sites have long term (Greater than 6 month) pitches available?

He is almost about to buy a plot of Woodland in Wales but he is being told he can put a caravan on that but all I read it a max of 28 days a year on Woodland and you'll never get planning permission to make a permanent residence.

Also this amount he is paying for this wood would take almost all his money and he would have no water supply/sanitation etc.

If I can get him on a nice site in the countryside until the Spring, at least of he still wants to do the Woodland thing, he has all summer to prepare the land for habitation during the winter.

If I can convince him to spend £3-4K on a half descent old Caravan, I can tow it somewhere for him and he can base himself there for 6-12 months and then if he wants/needs to move on, I can drive down and drag him somewhere else (he has Motorbike, no car).

Are these types of pitches readily available?

Can you negotiate with smaller site owners and if so how much would it be. if the CCC are £50-65 a week then I would hope a smaller site with basic facilities would be cheaper.

Any advise would be great and I don't want the guy to end up in a Woodland with facilities over the winter, he is almost 60 and if the winter is harsh, it could be his last.

I was with all this until you said he's almost 60!!!!??? That's young these days also you said he sold his house but can't afford to buy one why?
I think the woodlands idea sounds dodgy and could be a rip off I think he's better trying a few sites to see if there's a chance of a long term space although what will he do come the summer if they can get more renting out the pitch short term and would they be keen on someone putting a caravan on if they don't have their own car to move it.

 

[M-J]

A lot of sites will have seasonal pitch prices, find a few and ask.

 

[Eggs]

I've been on and off the same site for over 2 years, more on than off. Plenty of places to go if you keep your head down.

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[Spawn_e_git]

I was with all this until you said he's almost 60!!!!??? That's young these days also you said he sold his house but can't afford to buy one why?
I think the woodlands idea sounds dodgy and could be a rip off I think he's better trying a few sites to see if there's a chance of a long term space although what will he do come the summer if they can get more renting out the pitch short term and would they be keen on someone putting a caravan on if they don't have their own car to move it.

60 might be young "these days" but in cold damp woods with little or no heating or clean water......

The company he is buying the Woodland from is legit. www.woodlands.co.uk

Sold the house but equity was not a lot. It was mortgaged and he will be unlikely to get another mortgage on benefits.

I've seen site owners pitch peoples Van's up so I assume they would just move it but he could always get someone to tow it for him.

 

[Spawn_e_git]

I've been on and off the same site for over 2 years, more on than off. Plenty of places to go if you keep your head down.

Do you mean wild camping or on a campsite?

 

[Eggs]

Do you mean wild camping or on a campsite?

Campsite.

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[Spawn_e_git]

Campsite.

How much do you roughly pay for it?

Why "keep your head down"

 

[Eggs]

11 quid a day, its basic, there is a loo and shower that are kept spotless, elsan and fresh water, rubbish bins after that you are on ya own.

 

[wigster]

I have just found a long term site for my fifth wheel ,RV size, they are not easy to find , I have looked at buying land woods etc to live on but the investment is not worth the risk . 110 a week waste and water on the pitch 16 amp electric well happy .

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[wigster]

Settle down in the area earn a few quid if you have to job done.

I have an option to move back into bricks and mortar but its not for me at the moment

 

[Eggs]

I missed a bit, I keep my head down as to not draw attention to myself... don't fancy getting moved on over winter.

 

[wigster]

I missed a bit, I keep my head down as to not draw attention to myself... don't fancy getting moved on over winter.

I understand we have been on the road four years now.

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[Eggs]

I understand we have been on the road four years now.

Are you going to pull on a camp for winter?

 

[wigster]

A campsite do you mean , we overwinter on a campsite these days we used to be we can handle anything in our old hymer and to be fair she was a warm and safe van but we purchased a fifth wheel last year which is a four season unit . It is easier to keep warm than a house .
Just got my old Hymer valeted today ready to sell her.

 

[wigster]

If you are going to overwinter in the uk you need electric hook up . Others will say different but its only my experience 4 years in .

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[Eggs]

I have just found a long term site for my fifth wheel ,RV size, they are not easy to find , I have looked at buying land woods etc to live on but the investment is not worth the risk . 110 a week waste and water on the pitch 16 amp electric well happy .

Is that an official pitch, or is it like mine?

 

[Eggs]

If you are going to overwinter in the uk you need electric hook up . Others will say different but its only my experience 4 years in .

Yep got EHU, it's a doddle really.

 

[wigster]

.

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[wigster]

Yes he is looking to buy 9 acres so he can actually put 3 caravans on it but cannot live on the land more than 28 days in a year.
He thinks he'll just 'be quiet" as it's in the middle of nowhere.
He's bonkers, it's a mad idea that he's got a very good chance of coming unstuck.

Just got off the phone to him at least trying to convince him to put the caravan on a site local to the land at least until the spring where he has the better weather to prepare the land but hes not having it.......

He wont be able to do anything with the land he has bought living wise , i have looked into this and dismissed the idea .

 

[Badknee]

Find a friendly farmer looking for a bit of extra income. We stayed a winter tucked behind a barn with ehu and a tap nearby.

 

[Steve and Denise]

We have a plot in Lincolnshire 13 mtrs wide 45 mtrs deep with all services it has an old property we are thinking of demolishing but not sure on planning permission at the moment it’s in a village location.
I must have a check with the council.

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[Spawn_e_git]

He wont be able to do anything with the land he has bought living wise , i have looked into this and dismissed the idea .

Yeah I keep telling him this but he thinks as it's out of the way nobody will bother....

Until he fires up the Norton 650 Commando and wakes the whole district up.......

 

[Northernraider]

Yeah I keep telling him this but he thinks as it's out of the way nobody will bother....

Until he fires up the Norton 650 Commando and wakes the whole district up.......

If hes on facebook tell him to go join a few of the off grid living groups and he will find all the info he needs on trying to live on your own land in the uk ...some manage it but its not easy.

 

[Minxy]

The plan to live in his own little wood is great but not practical in any way shape or form IMV. In the past some have managed to get away with it but there's no way he'll ever be able to get a permanent home on it, even a caravan could be questionable and then it would have restrictions on how long he could stay in it as I believe that normally this is only permitted for the time he is 'working' on the woodland to maintain it up to a maximum number of day, certainly not for months on end.

There are the practicalities to consider and in the middle of winter having to go and get water etc would soon become a massive chore as he'd be unlikely to be permitted to install a permanent supply (same with waste water), and whilst electric could possibly be sorted to a minimum level with solar/genny and toilet by using a composting one, it's not the easiest way to live especially if his disability means he's less able to do things.

This type of woodland 'living' is going to get harder and harder as councils etc are much more aware of people looking to do this and trying to circumvent the planning rules so even if he gets away with it for a while, it wouldn't be for long then he'd really be in a pickle with a woodland he owns but can't live on, and no money to buy somewhere to live - this is completely different to someone buying a woodland to spend a bit of time away from it all but still have a home elsewhere that they can go back to.

He need to speak to a mortgage broker (independent) to see if it is viable for him to get one or not as that could completely change what his options are so he may be able to buy another house after all - perhaps moving to a cheaper area to get what he wants, somewhere less populated so he gets to enjoy the 'countryside' without having to buy a woodland to do so.

Failing that he could look into getting a static caravan (not on an all-singing/dancing site) where he could live most of the year, the initial outlay is likely to be a lot less than a 'bricks and mortar' house but of course this has to be set against site fees and the rules regarding ages of statics etc, but there are some private sites which are reasonable but this isn't something to go into without researching and fully understanding it all first.

The one and only thing I would say is keep convincing him NOT to buy a woodland ... having a permanent home is much more important than a 'dream'.

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[Spawn_e_git]

The plan to live in his own little wood is great but not practical in any way shape or form IMV. In the past some have managed to get away with it but there's no way he'll ever be able to get a permanent home on it, even a caravan could be questionable and then it would have restrictions on how long he could stay in it as I believe that normally this is only permitted for the time he is 'working' on the woodland to maintain it up to a maximum number of day, certainly not for months on end.

There are the practicalities to consider and in the middle of winter having to go and get water etc would soon become a massive chore as he'd be unlikely to be permitted to install a permanent supply (same with waste water), and whilst electric could possibly be sorted to a minimum level with solar/genny and toilet by using a composting one, it's not the easiest way to live especially if his disability means he's less able to do things.

This type of woodland 'living' is going to get harder and harder as councils etc are much more aware of people looking to do this and trying to circumvent the planning rules so even if he gets away with it for a while, it wouldn't be for long then he'd really be in a pickle with a woodland he owns but can't live on, and no money to buy somewhere to live - this is completely different to someone buying a woodland to spend a bit of time away from it all but still have a home elsewhere that they can go back to.

He need to speak to a mortgage broker (independent) to see if it is viable for him to get one or not as that could completely change what his options are so he may be able to buy another house after all - perhaps moving to a cheaper area to get what he wants, somewhere less populated so he gets to enjoy the 'countryside' without having to buy a woodland to do so.

Failing that he could look into getting a static caravan (not on an all-singing/dancing site) where he could live most of the year, the initial outlay is likely to be a lot less than a 'bricks and mortar' house but of course this has to be set against site fees and the rules regarding ages of statics etc, but there are some private sites which are reasonable but this isn't something to go into without researching and fully understanding it all first.

The one and only thing I would say is keep convincing him NOT to buy a woodland ... having a permanent home is much more important than a 'dream'.

Everything you say is 100% what I am saying but he does not seem to listen.

He even thinks he can live off a "Gypsy Well"" Oh Please! which is basically an dirty hole in the ground

 

[Minxy]

Everything you say is 100% what I am saying but he does not seem to listen.

He even thinks he can live off a "Gypsy Well"" Oh Please! which is basically an dirty hole in the ground

If he won't listen then he's gonna learn the hard way, at least he can't come back to you and say you didn't tell him.