Living in a caravan on own land.

C3PO

I have a friend who owns a small plot of land in a scenic location. He is convinced that he can put a caravan on the land and live in it. He has found some regulation that states that you can camp for a period of 10 days in one location and he believes that he can then hitch up the caravan, basically drive around the block, and the 10 days resets! I’m full sure that this is not case and I suspect that it’s the Planning Act that applies but would appreciate if someone could point me in the direction of the specific regulation.

muffler

I would love to see that "regulation" your friend found. Short answer to your query is that planning permission is required. There are other regs and exemptions regarding approved caravan parks and parking an unoccupied caravan at home but these aren't relevant here.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058396117/living-in-a-caravan-on-own-land

we’d all love ou to point us the direction of this regulation. Ask your friend what it is please, it will educate us all!

C3PO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166720#Comment_123166720

So, I did a bit of digging and I think the regulation he is relying on is in the 2001 Planning and Development Regulations. Schedule 2 - Part 3 (Page 189) on Exempted Development - Rural covers “Limited Use of Camping” and states (among other things) that - “No tent, campervan, caravan or vessel shall remain on the land for a period greater than 10 days”.

Apiarist

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/if-i-buy-a-plot-of-land-do-i-need-planning-permission-for-a-caravan-1.3507296

For the purposes of camping, the planning acts provide for temporary use of any land for the placing of a caravan provided that:

1 Not more than one caravan shall be placed within 100m of another at any time.

2 No caravan shall remain on the land for a period greater than 10 days.

3 No caravan shall be used for the storage, display, advertisement or sale of goods or for the purposes of any business.

4 No caravan shall be placed on land within 50m of any public road unless the land is enclosed by a wall, bank or hedge, or any combination thereof, having an average height of not less than 1.5m.

You can store a mobile home on site on your own property for up to nine months without planning permission. This assumes it is in “dry-camp” mode and not connected to services. The planning regulations classify the keeping or storing of a caravan within the curtilage of a house as exempted development (no planning permission is required) provided that:

1 Not more than one caravan shall be so kept or stored.

2 The caravan shall not be used for the storage, display, advertisement or sale of goods or for the purposes of any business.

3 No caravan shall be so kept or stored for more than nine months in any year or occupied as a dwelling while so kept or stored.

It takes a high court case to get a caravan off land. Even if the coco want them gone. An enforcement order is just a piece of paper. There are other ways. A relation went the court way the first time, as it was against his principles to pay the cultural per van charge. The second time they moved quickly. The advance scouting caravans were moved occupants and all in the night by way of heavy equipment and chains.

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123168882#Comment_123168882

The whole thrust of those exemptions are to cater for people who are touring around the country on holidays etc but they certainly do not apply to anyone wishing to live full time in a caravan. The 10 day exemption is a max 10 days and not as your friend thinks. Every time you move and come back to the same lands with a caravan (as your friend intends to) the exemption is no longer in force.

Gumbo

I only have this to hand.

John_Rambo

I go to a secluded, stunning surf spot in the West of Ireland and there's a caravan in a field surrounded by hedgerow there permanently with people living in it.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123169048#Comment_123169048

Out of sight, out of mind!

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123169082#Comment_123169082

It's idyllic.

In the summer.

L1011

Getting away with it is possible but in no way guaranteed or recommendable.

The Continental Op

The council will do nothing to move a caravan or stop it being used unless someone complains. If you have no neighbors and no one gets jealous of your location then you can stop as long as you like.

We have a caravan we use at home here and its been here 25 years. Within a couple of miles there are at least another dozen caravans used in the same way. Only one has ever had a complaint and that was owned by someone who had fallen out with another neighbor.

Once its been on site for 7 years it becomes even more difficult (but not impossible) for the planning authority to take any action.

chooseusername

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123169120#Comment_123169120

"The council will do nothing to move a caravan or stop it being used unless someone complains."

There were no objections or complaints about this caravan. (But they did apply for retention, perhaps they shouldn't have bothered!)

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/its-very-frustrating-man-to-demolish-familys-mobile-home-he-erected-without-planning-after-retention-refused/a957460369.html

Behind paywall, but this is the gist;

From today's Indo

An inspector’s report recommended temporary permission be granted for three years due to the fact the housing supply is “seriously constrained. He said I am satisfied that the development has no visual impact in the context of its setting.”He concluded that retention permission be granted.

However, in a decision published on February 7, ABP refused to accept the recommendation."The board said the mobile home would be out of character with the area, is “visually incongruous” and would set an “undesirable precedent” for similar developments".

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123169722#Comment_123169722

As I said the council will do nothing, but if you apply for planning permission the normal rules apply.

muffler

The Council can do plenty if it's brought to it's attention. In saying that the planners don't actively seek out these unauthorised developments and that is why there are so many caravans, mobile homes etc scattered around the country with no planning permission.