A Granny Annexe is additional accommodation in the garden of an existing property, typically designed for elderly family members, providing comfortable and independent living space.

A Garden Annex or garden room is a versatile living space that can be used as home offices, art studios, or cozy retreat.

A Garden Lodges is often larger than a garden annexe or granny annexe, these can accommodate larger families.

A Studio Room tends to be a compact and multifunctional garden annexe, perfect for artists or those needing a quiet living space.

The Caravan Act, also known as the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, regulates the use of caravans in the UK. Under the 1968 caravan act, granny annexes, garden annexe, garden rooms, caravans, mobile homes and transportable buildings are classed and treated as “caravans” for the purposes of the Act.

A caravan, be it a touring or static caravan or granny annexe, is regarded as an article of movable personal property known as a ‘chattel’ and there is no public law preventing one being kept in someone’s garden, but there are laws that regulate the ‘Use’ of land. Our Granny Annexes are classed as caravans and can be sited and used in a garden without the need for express planning consent. If the use is not considered part of, or incidental to, the house, then a ‘material change of use’ may have occurred.

Mobile Annexe has partnered with Amica Insurance Brokers to offer home insurance for the self contained annexes that we build. Amica's owners have a combined 20 years of insurance broking experience. Operating from offices in Staffordshire, Amica are proud to offer a personal service nationwide. All their staff members are qualified insurance professionals and offer tailored advice and products. As well as Home & Annexe insurance they offer a broad range of insurance products such as car, van, travel, landlords, business, liability, shops & offices. They offer a ‘one stop shop’ for all insurance needs, whilst simultaneously building long standing relationships.

Mobile Annexe has partnered with Cavendish Capital to provide dedicated financial solutions to you. With offices in Berkeley Square, Mayfair in London and Fore Street in Hertford they can offer more than 25 years of experience within the finance industry. They can offer very competitive mortgages, second charge mortgages, secured loans, short term bridging finance and unsecured loans to help you find the perfect financial solution. IMPORTANT INFORMATION *THE MORTGAGE PROPERTY (WHICH MAY BE YOUR HOME) MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE* Think carefully before securing debt against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up with the repayments. You must be aware that Cavendish Capital does not provide regulated mortgage contracts, where it is either your or an immediate family member's intention to occupy at least 40% of this property as a dwelling, either now or at any time in the future.

As the owner of the Granny Annexe, you are personally liable as the inhabitant of the annexe from the first day of occupation to pay council tax at the cheapest band A. For instance, annual costs in Maldon , Essex from April 2024 are set at £1,011.11 for band A. However, you may well be eligible to apply for a discretionary disability discount of up to £150. You would need to provide evidence from your doctor to highlight any current or future disability though, Additionally, you could save up to 1.5% off your Council Tax bill if you pay early in one lump sum. Therefore, the total cost could be as little as £848.19 per year

If you're buying a property with an existing granny annexe, or planning to add one, it's worth understanding how stamp duty currently applies — the rules have changed in recent years, and older information you may find online (including, previously, on this page) is now out of date. Multiple Dwellings Relief (MDR) was a stamp duty relief that, until recently, could reduce the amount payable when a property included more than one qualifying dwelling — such as a main house with a self-contained annexe. This was often referred to informally as the "granny annexe stamp duty saving." This relief was abolished from 1 June 2024. Buyers completing a purchase after that date can no longer claim MDR. Stamp duty on a property with a granny annexe is now generally calculated on the full purchase price, in the same way as a property without one. There's a separate consideration worth knowing about: the 3% second homes surcharge. Government rules include a "subsidiary dwelling" test — broadly, where an annexe's value falls below a certain proportion of the total property value (and it remains within the same grounds as the main house), the surcharge generally shouldn't apply. This is a technical area, and it's genuinely worth getting confirmation from a solicitor for your specific purchase rather than assuming either way. In short: the previous stamp duty saving associated with granny annexes no longer applies. We'd always recommend speaking to a solicitor or conveyancer about your specific transaction, since stamp duty rules can be complex and are subject to change. This is general information only and isn't tax or legal advice. Always confirm current rules with a solicitor or tax adviser before making decisions based on this information.

Although the maximum size of a caravan is limited to 20 x 6.8m (65ft x 22ft) in the Caravan Sites Acts, it is still considerably large, with enough space for over five bedrooms, toilets, kitchen and living spaces. A caravan can be significantly larger than most buildings capable of obtaining planning approval as annexes.

Our annexes are built on site from scratch and the mobility off-site and down a non-specific road is hypothetical. This is best answered in ‘The Appeal Decision; Brightlingsea Haven Ltd v. Morris 2008’ where it stated ‘It is the structure that must conform to the law not the means of access to where the structure is, and whether it may have difficulty in reaching a road. It is now common practice to build or assemble caravans in hard to access back gardens. The structure must remain movable and capable of transport down a hypothetical road, even if access to a road may require craning over buildings or complicated procedures. The structure need not have direct access to a road to be deemed a ‘caravan’. In terms of construction, Annexes can be assembled onsite from many prefabricated pieces so long as they conform to the construction and mobility test. Other caravans like touring and static caravans need not meet the construction tests but must remain movable.

Practically every caravan commercially available has all the facilities that would allow it to be lived in. A mobile home caravan sited in a garden with all facilities is capable of being used completely independently. If it were actually to be used in that way, a separate occupation would be created, and planning approval would be required. Whether the caravan includes kitchens and bathrooms, as well as primary living accommodation, such as bedrooms and living rooms, should not create a development control issue. There is no law to refuse the stationing of a caravan because of a material change of use by the nature of its facilities alone. It should be the use of the caravan, in association with the house, which is evaluated, not the mere presence of facilities or the potential use of the unit.

Many people think of mobile homes and static caravans as having substandard comfort, dreary designs, and paper-thin walls. However, they are not all like this. Our Granny Annexes offer all the luxury of conventional residential living. They are built to the same insulation values as a normal house, adhere to all building regulations and are custom built to any design and style to desire, if it conforms to the definition of caravan.

The answer is no. If the proposed mobile home falls within the criteria of use, conformity, and location, then the situation is outside of planning control and approval from the authorities is not needed. We do, however, advise that in all cases a Lawful Development Certificate is obtained for peace of mind. A Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) is a statutory document confirming that the use, operation or activity named in it is lawful for planning control purposes. Once granted, the certificate will remain valid for the use or development described in it, on the land it describes as long as the use doesn’t change. We will apply on your behalf for FREE, you will only have to pay the fee for the application of £220

Statistically there will be a high chance of refusal. Mobile homes can be 20 x 6.8 metres and have over 5 bedrooms, significantly larger than a building likely to be granted conventional planning approval. Additionally, there is no restriction on style. Planning permission will often require that the style and finish is ‘in keeping’ with the area, whilst, an annexe can be finished to your preferred taste.

Many homeowners are familiar with ‘permitted development rights.’ This is the allowance to construct outbuildings, extensions, sheds etc. without the need for planning approval. However, these rights are often restricted to properties within greenbelt and conservation areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty or scientific interest. This does NOT restrict having an annex. The crucial fact is that the use of a caravan is NOT a permitted development right or even ‘development’. Caravans are not ‘buildings’ or ‘structures’. So, if there is a law that restricts permitted development or applies to buildings or structures, it should not restrict the use of a caravan. There are some exceptions, for example, if a mobile home sited in open country land is considered harmful to the greenbelt.

If there is a lack of distinction between the boundary and use of the garden and other areas of your property, for example an orchard area or field used to keep horses that are used by members of the household, then planning permission will usually be required, as the Council will often not conclude such areas are ‘domestic’ curtilage, even if they are parcel to your property as a whole. One recommendation is, before commencing with any caravan proceedings, to separately apply for planning permission for ‘change of use’ of these areas to residential curtilage or garden. This can be supported with a site map indicating the entire property boundary that can be drawn into new deeds for your property. Additionally, the Land Registry can be contacted to confirm the registered ‘use’.

Restrictive covenants are basically a form of private planning control. They place restrictions on the development or use of land, for the benefit of another piece of land, and are enforceable by one landowner against another. In some cases, particularly modern housing estates, the developer may have placed a restricted covenant that states that caravans and motorhomes cannot be parked in the garden or drive. In these cases, a caravan will not be allowed unless the original builder lifts or cancels the covenant, which can often be arranged.

The local planning authority may have removed the permitted development rights of an area by issuing an Article 4 direction. This is common in new housing estates. Unless specifically used to restrict the use of caravans the restriction will normally be upon ‘permitted development’, which does not include caravans, as caravans are not development.

Adding a granny annex to your property is a good investment, a significant increase can be added onto the value of a property with one of our annexes. Added value depends entirely on the size and finish of the annex though; here we are talking about fully self-contained units, connected to utilities and suitable for living year-round. It can be difficult to find property on the market that already has a modern, quality granny annex as most homeowners aren’t selling up thanks to their annex being a great family living solution. If you do come across a property for sale, it’s bound to be a sound investment due to the demand for these types of property. Which brings us on to saleability; having a property with separate living space on your hands is a great marketing opportunity. The multi-functional use of granny annexes makes them an attractive property feature for many prospective buyers so ensure that when you’re turning a property around, you really emphasise the unique opportunity presented by a well-constructed annexe.

If you intend to use the Annexe as part of the day to day running of your farm then you can legally live in one on your land. So How Can You Live in A Static Caravan Legally On Your Farm? You can use the “Health & Safety In The Work Place” this is needed for any employer to provide their workers. Do not Ask A Local Planning Officer You will get an outright “NO”. Planning Officers don’t know most of the “Planning Laws” and probably never read their “Local Planning Policies” and “National planning Policies”. Siting Your Static Caravan Put the caravan in an area that is not going to make the caravan stick out like a sore thumb. Do not put it right next to the road or your neighbour’s boundary. Pick an area of your land that is well away from both of these. Maybe plant some large leylandii so that it breaks up the look of the caravan. Also, purchase a Green or Cream colour these seem to blend in with the area and surrounding farmland. Now if you haven’t started your farm then you need to get on it straight away. If an “Enforcement Officer” turns up and you’re working the land. Then this is going to be a good look. But if you have turned all your soil over if growing for Market Gardens or have Lots of Sheep or Lots of Chicken Tractors breeding pure breed poultry. Then they will see you are trying to become a farmer. Also, the fact that fewer and fewer young people are getting into farming is good. Even if you only have a couple of acres that’s enough land to farm. And make a good living if you pick the right “Niche Market” If You Want To Live In Your Static Caravan Then you are going to have to put together a business plan that can show you can earn a minimum income of the national average of £26,000 a year. But you can still move into your caravan without applying for Planning Permission while building your business up. You have to do this carefully and what I am saying is. Let’s say you have started your farm and you’re doing just fine and making a profit while living at your regular home. Then you ask for the right to live on your farm in a caravan because you are making the minimum income needed of £26,000 if you were already living on the land. But if you have grown a profitable farm while living away from the farm then ask the council if you can live on the farm. The local planning department is going to say well why do you need to live on the land if your farm is doing just fine where you live now..?. So it is always better to live on the farm while growing your business to the minimum income needed. You can start your farm and start making money before you decide to give up your home to move onto the farmland but keep it below £26.000. This way when you do move on the land you will already have a business making a profit but not as much as needed. But you will have a good start to get to the amount to live on the land legally. You will be in a better financial starting position to make that one years minimum income. Than if you started from scratch living in the caravan and had three years and a bare farm to make that amount and good business. So starting to farm your land first and getting things ready is going to stand you in good stead for your big move. How To Get Around The Planning System For Living On Your Farm Let’s look at from another angle you sell your home or give up your rented accommodation and move straight into the static caravan without planning permission. You will almost certainly get a visit from the local council, but now you have nowhere else to live and evicting you from your home. Well, this just doesn’t look good for the council planners and its not good publicity. I mean your only trying to start a small farming business to help the local community and hopefully give back to the community in the future. While also making a living from the land. So what you need to be doing is writing that business plan if you haven’t already done it. I am also not talking about keeping just a couple of different animals. It has to be an economically viable business plan that will make you an income from the land. There have only been 3 cases of evicting people from their land. So you have a great chance to stay on that land living in your static caravan. But at this stage, you will have to apply for planning and probably attend a Local Planning Committee Meeting. You will be given 3 minutes to state your case. Please don’t say things like “Well They Did It” so we should be allowed. You need to be calm and have all the facts and figures in front of you. As well as your business plan. Also, why do you think you need to live on the land? Remember you only have three minutes to put your case forward. Now some people will say you should use a “Planning Consultant” well if you want to waste thousands of pounds that could help you grow your farm then waste it…! Read your Local Planning Policy and National Planning Policies, also with a good Business Plan, both policies state they have to support small and large businesses for farming in the countryside. Then you will be able to do this on your own and save that hard-earned cash. What Happens Next After the Planning Committee Meeting They will give you 3-5 years to live in a Static Caravan Legally. And they will want to see you make the average minimum wage from that farming venture for one year out of the term they have given you. If you manage to do this then they will grant planning permission for a real home and the size of that home will depend on how much you can earn from your farm. So this is why it is best to start your farm as soon as possible. Meaning getting the land ready, and your website and marketing sorted. Plan out everything.

Electricity Our qualified electrician will establish your specific energy requirement for your Granny Annexe. We will run an armoured cable from your existing consumer unit in your main dwelling to a new consumer unit in the Annexe. Water Our qualified plumber will establish the best access point to get a connection to your current water supply to your house. We will then run a new MDPE blue water pie from the main dwelling to the Granny Annexe. Sewage Waste We will connect the Granny Annexe to your nearest Sewage waste drain, usually sited somewhere in your garden. We don't need any form of permission to make the connection as it is known as an indirect connection. If the connection is uphill we will connect a silent bilge pump to pump the waste to the drain. Or in some situations we will install a Klargester BioDisc sewage treatment plant, which will need to then be emptied annually.