Caravan permission for privately owned greenbelt.

[Xanthewolf]

I have read up today, that if a caravan is lived in for 4 years that the council HAS to allow planning permission for housing on said land.

The land of interest is greenbelt privately owned by my boyfriends parents, and we plan on moving onto this land and living in a caravan.

No trees would need to be cut down, and the land would be preserved. Would it be possible to apply for planning permission for 3 years and 11 months to keep the van? As perhaps this would make the chances of sucess more likely?

Or would there not be a need for planning permission at all? As my boyfriends parents once lived on the land in a caravan and it has since been used by family and friends of his parents. A tent has also been used for accommodation on the land. However, the caravan has since been moved off the land. Would it be possible to place our caravan where its predecessor stood? Would this need planning permission?

[Buenchico]

You almost certainly need planning permission to live in the caravan. This opinion is based upon a parliamentary answer, cited in my post here:
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Home-and-Garden /Question224524.html

I've not come across any rulings which state that a planning authority would be obliged to grant permission for housing to replace a caravan which had been occupied for 4 years. Even if such a rule exists, it's likely that it would only mean that the caravan could be replaced by bricks and mortar with the same dimensions. (i.e. you couldn't replace a small caravan with a massive mansion. You'd only be able to replace it with a house no bigger than the caravan).

Chris

[teag1rl]

after 4 years of continuous occupation in caravan (and not being cuaght) you could apply for a certificate of lawfulness for the change of use of the land for residential use (ie siting of caravan) (and you would need proof), but it does not mean you can automatically build a house. Just means after 4 yrs your unauthorised caravan is immune from enforcement (ie council cant tell yiou to remove said caravan).
If you chose to apply for planning for the caravan the council would ensure it's only temporary and it would not count towrads your 4 years immunity. Also, by applying for permission it's going to flag up to the council what you intend to do and they may well keep an eye on the site for unauthorised caravans!