Planning Permission and the NestPod™

The NestPod is a tiny house on wheels or a living wagon or caravan or well, just a NestPod! The fact that it can be towed on the road in the UK and EU means that it has the benefit of relatively easy relocation; plug on water and power and you are good to go (subject to choice of waste systems). When it comes to Planning Permission and the NestPod™ - there are no simple answers (!) - ALL situations are different and require careful consideration of the site and the intended use of your NestPod on your land or site.

• The NestPod can conform to the definition of a caravan - "any structure designed or adapted for human habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another” (whether by being towed, or by being transported on a motor vehicle or trailer) provided they retain the element of mobility. In addition - for permanent living - theNestPod can be built to BS3632:2015 - thereby conforming to the British Standard for Residential Park Homes (static caravans). NB. my standard build spec. far exceeds BS3632 anyway but there are
• TheNestPod has also been designed to fit within the size parameters of Householder Permitted Development anyway which may help certain situations.
• The NestPod can be configured to fit either of these strategies without needing Planning Permission but please be aware that if you intend to live in a NestPod as your primary permanent residence, then you will have to apply for Planning Permission without question!

For a preliminary survey of your land see: Tiny House Scotland Site Survey

If you are are a householder and wish to put a NestPod in your garden then this can probably be done under Permitted Development without planning permission - but it must be within the curtilage of the dwelling ie. the drive or garden - not an adjoining paddock or field. It must be for domestic use only by the family or as guest accomodation and not rented as a private dwelling or separate business premises. It is therefore incidental to the enjoyment of the house and not to be seen as development; it is a chattel an article of moveable personal property. So for example this would cover use as a summerhouse, granny annexe, hobby room or studio, spare room/extra accommodation. Note that Building Control may still need to be involved eg. for provision of services etc.

For guidance on Scottish Permitted Development see Gov.Scot.

NB. All the above depend upon local conditions - for example - if your house or land is a listed property or in a conservation area, green belt etc. There is no substitute for checking with your local planning office at the earliest opportunity; most of them run drop-in surgeries for such a purpose. Alternatively you could engage a local Planning Consultant for advice.

It should also be noted that although there are some very black and white areas, there are also many grey areas! So there are various possible strategic approaches available depending on the site situation and the use of your NestPod. The design ethos of the NestPod should be well received by most Planning Authorities for its highly Eco sustainability, low energy requirement, low impact on the land and removeable without a trace credentials. Add to this the fact that it is beautiful and will not deteriorate like a hideous static caravan and be a blot on the landscape - this is cutting edge micro architecture! Certain elements like the prototype's sleeping loft may be problematic with Building Control but there are plenty of alternative solutions to overcome this.

Note also that in the UK - regulations tend to have minor variations between England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland etc.