Planning

Under planning regulations, mobile homes are classified as caravans, and not as dwelling houses. This means mobile homes do not benefit from permitted development rights and a planning application must be submitted for most development.

Common examples of development to your mobile home that require the submission of a planning application include (but is not limited to):

  • any extension to an existing mobile home, including porches
  • outbuildings, including summer houses and garden sheds of any size
  • other miscellaneous garden structures including pergolas and garden parasols fixed to the ground
  • children’s play equipment that is fixed to the ground
  • hardstanding, including driveways, patio areas and the laying of gravel
  • decking and access steps of any size
  • siting of fixed containers, such as for gas storage

Failure to submit a planning application may result in the Council or site owner or their site manager taking action to remove the offending development.

For further information on how you can get advice on whether what you wish to build is likely to be permitted or to make a planning application please visit our planning page.

Extensions

As general advice, any extension to a mobile home will not be acceptable where it would take the combined resulting structure out of the definition of a caravan. For the purposes of planning a caravan is defined as a structure designed or adapted for human habitation which:

  • is composed of not more than 2 sections separately constructed and designed to be assembled on a site by means of bolts, clamps or other devices; and,
  • is, when assembled, physically capable of being moved by road from one place to another (whether by being towed, or by being transported on a motor vehicle or trailer)

The overall combined structure cannot exceed 6.8 metres in width and 20 metres in length. The overall height of living accommodation (measured internally from the floor at the lowest level to the ceiling at the highest level) cannot exceed 3.48 metres.

Many existing mobile homes within mobile home sites are already twin units (comprised of 2 sections), and therefore in most situations it is likely that any enlargements to the mobile home would not be approved, as they would result in the structure comprising at least 3 sections and would therefore no longer be a caravan.

Other development

Apart from conformity with the above, the main matters assessed in planning applications are the potential impacts of the development on:

  • the character of the area/site,
  • the amenities of the occupants of neighbouring properties,
  • highway safety
  • fire safety