Can I put a marquee up permenantly?

[RoastieToastieReastie]

We own some land in a conservation area which is also green belt. It's not our garden and has no houses directly around it. It's about three acres approx.

We looked into having a garden building built in it (an insulated shed room with a wood burner etc) but was told absolutely not as even though it would be made of wood it would be there permenantly.

We then thought about getting a tent there permenantly, as it's obviously more temporary. We initially looked at bell tents but decided we wanted something we could stand in easier, so we found a 16 foot canvas marquee.

I've just looked online and it seems for more than 28 days you need planning permission to have this in your garden. This isn't a garden but given the controls on conservation/green belt I'm assuming it will be tricky. When I rung the council previously I was told even having a small shed woukd need checking with them first .

Does anyone know how likely it is we would be able to do this? I know I can ring then tomorrow but dh is in a bad mood that he's spent hours finding this marquee and then in two minutes I google and find out planning permission might scupper us once again. There must be some kind of shelter we can put up .

The only thing I can think that would be passable now is a caravan or shepherds hut or something on wheels so i assume it isn't classed as a permenantly structure.

Good point singing. The soil I think may be clay but it's a slight slope so could put it at the top. If it's a case of having to move it several times a year though we wouldn't be able to as we only have a small car which can't tow.

I only moved mine three times in 9 years Roastie, didn't realise I had to to be honest and no one cared.

It moved easily with a Defender, DH and I used to fight about who got to do it . You just need to get a friendly 4wd owner who never gets the chance to go off road to move it, they would love to do it for you, or a nice farmer.

Not sure it would become a mud bath without large animals on the land tbh. The only entrances that were poached were those used by the horses.

We put solid rubber stable mats on the inside and those with the holes in that allow grass to grow though them on the outside.

It will depend a lot on how vigilant the local planning department is as well. Any complaints lodged by neighbours/walkers etc., will bring it to their attention. I agree Lavender those mobile field shelters are great but not sure they'll be the cosy retreat and secure storage that Roastie sounds like she's after tbh.

you could try this: guiltyfix.com/backyard-hobbit-house/?as=6042671544495&pg=1

You do need to be careful with change of use. Farmland is typically classified according to its use and it's quality. Essentially what you are looking to do is change the use from grassland (so open area for grazing or similar) to something with trees used for recreational purposes.

It isn't just about putting a structure on the land. The conservation status is also important.

I would check how the council has categorised the land, what is and isn't permitted. Then look to see what sort of change of use might be permitted.

Maybe phrase it as increasing the conservation value through the addition of native trees?

As a city dweller, I'm completely ignorant on these matters, but I am astonished caravans are not allowed, as surely by their nature they are non-permanent?
I am sure when we looked into purchasing a woodland, all the information sites say a caravan is permissible, so is that just in woodland not open land then?

Get a polytunnel, and grow some tomatoes and strawberries or something... then it will be agricultural, temporary, and warm...

Disclaimer no idea if that is viable.

I wonder if the digging under the ground and putting in a hobbit hole 7 earth sheltered room idea would fly? Wouldn't change the look of the field from a distance but would undoubtedly be a vast amount of work. In the end you probably would need planning permission.

The guy from Grand designs built himself a cabin on a trailer base which he said was allowed in a bit of woodland he owned without planning permission.

I think its a shame if there is no way to have a little wooden shelter on your land... sounds as though you want something like the old east German Dacha... :o

www.channel4.com/programmes/kevin-mcclouds-man-made-home The Kevin Mccloud Grand Designs movable cabin.

For the play equipment can you "think outside the box" a bit and source and bring in alternative natural elements in keeping with the environment to climb and swing on? Big rocks and a tree trunk or two, wooden posts to hop between, a rope swing from a tree if there is one big enough on the land, or if not a hammock between tree trucks which double as climbing structures. .. you can't need planning permission for natural unmanufactured wood and stone surely... The tree trunk in this picture is popular at my son's school, and they have boulders and posts too.

Schwab yes we are going that route too. We've got slices of tree trunks as stepping stones.

I want a moveable cabin like Kevin's!

Wouldn't a hobbit house be amazing!! I can't see us ever doing that but I love it.

Tilda all useful info thanks

If you watch this weeks George small spaces on channel 4

He features a mobile home sort of like a portakabin that was built in Somerset and cut in half and taken to Scotland on a lorry and then put back together it was allowed as it was "not permanent" so didn't have to have planning control

It was huge with 3 little beds and kitchen sitting area and outside area looked great and was really cheap to build

George Clarke amazing spaces

Series 4 episode 4 on demand 4

now available

sorry can't link to it

I just can't see my local planners agreeing to that RT, although sounds fab. They were telling me previously on the phone I couldn't even have a teeny tiny basic smallest you can possibly buy shed on the land.

Oh dear

I thought as it was classed as a movable thing you might be allowed it

I've just noticed that there used to be an orchard on the land.

The way I would approach this is firstly find a copy of the local plan. This should show the way the area is managed or prioritised. So will highlight existing use plus areas earmarked for development. It will also indicate what kind of development may be permitted and under what circumstances.

Change of use (from farm to recreational or similar) plus a structure will require permission. However you might be able to provide evidence of previous use (the orchard) and that you are seeking to restore that previous use (through planting fruit trees).

Then if there are enough trees and you don't live locally to the site some form of building that allows for maintenance of the Orchard? Maybe for storage of equipment etc.

If it's an area where orchards and cider are traditional, then I would emphasise that.

I didn't realise even planting trees would be problematic potentially . Gah. The history to the site is in the 60s it was turned into an orchard then in the 80s these were taken out and turned to field/grass. Pre 60s it was used for growing fruit and vegetables to sell (as far as I know). Alas the trees dh has planted aren't fruit trees (but they are all native and very very small ATM). The orchard changes were made before it was a conservation area.

I think I'm giving up on the whole idea of any kind of tent/structure but now I'm concerned about the trees. It's not visible from the road so I'm tempted to keep quiet.....

you don't need planning permission for a Caravan, you could actually put a static caravan in the field as long as you're not living in it.

www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=35101.0

why not a "gypsy caravan", once on site you could probably even move it around with a couple of strong bodies to pull it?

Roastie the trees won't be a problem. You can have trees in fields, unless the world has finally gone utterly mad... Trees are good for the soil, and the farmland around - GCSE geography told me so 90 million years ago :o Actually good thick hedges are also very good for preventing soil erosion - maybe a lovely thick Hawthorne hedge will be absolutely in keeping, environmentally wonderful, and screen your reasonable and temporary structure and so on from the road :o

The old traditional wooden painted gypsy caravan idea is fun :o

Sorry, I didn't explain that very well.

In terms of planning, if you own something be it land, a house or something else you have certain permitted development right. To do things beyond that you need permission.

With land, in planning it is normally categorised in some way. For example it may be defined as pasture or woodland (or a sub category of those).

I know farms have permitted development rights but not sure if they apply given the amount of land you have.

You need to find out if you have any such rights, how the land is categorised. Then see if or what changes can be made without permission.

Trees are lovely but if it's defined as pasture that may be a change of use.

I find with planning it's better to work with rather than against. So if you want a few trees and a shelter, I thought maybe making a case for reverting to an orchard might help.

You need to sell your idea to the planners. Make them see it as a good ide, positive and beneficial to conservation of the area!

Tilder raises some good points, best to work with the authorities.

You say it used to be an orchard? Are there any old fruit trees still in the village, if so could you not plan to take some grafts and put them onto some old fashioned stocks, and re-plant on your land in an effort to save old varieties of trees? Putting that on an application would been seen in a good light, I think, especially if you can get the support of a charity trying to save heirloom apples, say.

You do need permission for a caravan simon in this instance because the land is not residential curtilage, nor is it agricultural.
Permitted development rights for agricultural uses are quite limited, and are also tightly controlled In terms of what 'agriculture' is.
Even field shelters and/or stables for horses would require planning permission as this is not agricultural.

You do need permission for a caravan simon in this instance because the land is not residential curtilage, nor is it agricultural.
Permitted development rights for agricultural uses are quite limited, and are also tightly controlled In terms of what 'agriculture' is.
Even field shelters and/or stables for horses would require planning permission as this is not agricultural.

SkodaLabia I remember that episode. Part of the deal was that the house had to be knocked down when the guy stopped living in it.