Static caravans

[edit] The term caravan

A caravan in UK English, is usually either specifically a static caravan or a touring caravan. The word caravan itself is likely to have been introduced to English in the late 1500's, coming from the Italian word caravana. Caravana itself originates from the Persian karwan referring to a group of desert travellers, often a large group travelling together in a single line. The word continues to be used both to describe a moving line of people or vehicles, as well as the individual form of mobile home, other related terms that might be used are touring wagon, gypsy (traveller) caravan, more correctly Romani wagons or Vardo. Today there are some increasingly close relationships with static caravans and the tiny house movement and what might be referred to as the micro dwelling.

[edit] A brief history of static caravans

The static caravan often called mobile home, first started to appear as early as 1900, with wealthier landowners towing purpose built caravan holiday units by horse and then by train to rural locations for short healthy breaks from the city, before being returned to their estate for storage. In late Victoriana trips away from the city to the seaside or country were seen to have various health benefits and grew in popularity.

In 1907 the UK Caravan and motorhome Club was formed, as touring caravans grew in popularity and sites swell as models became more available. In the 1920s one firm in particular; Eccles Caravans, owned by the Riley family helped the popularity of caravanning grow, in particular for touring caravans, leading to designs being built on a commercial scale. Landowners themselves then started to purchase units to keep on site for rental, giving birth to the static caravan and then specific static models started to appear. One of the best known and possibly earliest commercial static units available in 1936 was known as the Carabung, designed as a static seaside or country caravan retreat. It's uptake was not immediate and with the outbreak of war the industry obviously slowed dramatically, only to be embraced again after the war had ended and life returned to some normality.

Models sold as mobile cottages, such as one made by Paladin and sold by A.S Jenkinson in 1947 and others by Willerby and Pemberton lead to ownership being up to around 10,000. Touring caravanning toook hold with manufacturers such as Bluebird, Paladin, Berkeley and Marston caravans being used abroad as well as in the UK facilitated by the increasing availability of the motor car. Alongside this static caravan sites as alternative holiday destinations in rural parts of the UK continued to thrive, with likewise increased comfort levels and facilities. It was in the 1960's that larger static caravan models started to appear as alternatives to the primarily small touring caravans that had been used on static sites, this in part in reaction to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act of 1960. The Omar Holiday Lodge during this time was one example of the new breed larger more spacious static caravan, which was followed by many other varieties. These changes continued through into the 1970's with caravans looking increasingly like rectangular houses or lodges and decorated as a home from home.

[edit] Static caravan dimensions

Static Caravans from the late 1960's until today have maximum dimensions of 20m long, 6.8m wide and 3.05m tall (this dimension in width includes the allowance for twin adjoined units). These can be towed on UK roads with specific permission but are mainly towed to a single location to remain, they however must be able to be removed if ever required. These fell under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act of 1960, and then the rationalised UK Caravan Sites Act of 1968 which focused on static temporary dwellings rather than touring types of caravans, especially concerning permanent sites, the definition of caravan was amended in Scotland in the 2019 Order to allow twin adjoined units.

[edit] Static caravan sites

The Caravan Sites Act itself describes its purpose as "An Act to restrict the eviction from caravan sites of occupiers of caravans and make other provision for the benefit of such occupiers; to secure the establishment of such sites by local authorities for the use of gipsies and other persons of nomadic habit, and control in certain areas the unauthorised occupation of land by such persons; to amend the definition of “caravan” in Part I of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid."

In 2019 the Sottish Statutory Instrument Order in turn amends the definition of caravan in section 13(2) of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 (“the 1968 Act”) to allow for twin-unit structures. "Section 13 (twin-unit caravans) of the 1968 Act excepts from the meaning of “caravan” in Part 1 of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 twin-unit structures designed or adapted for human habitation which are composed of not more than two sections separately constructed and designed to be assembled on site by bolts, clamps or other devices, which when assembled are physically capable of being moved by road from one place to another and whose dimensions exceed specified dimensions."

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Camp.
• Caravan.
• Caravan site.
• Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
• Changes to permitted development in 2023‎.
• Controls on traveller development.
• Could microhousing tackle London's housing crisis?
• Green belt.
• Gypsies and travellers and travelling showpeople.
• Micro dwelling.
• Mobile home.
• National Planning Policy Framework.
• Planning permission.
• Review of housing needs for caravans and houseboats.
• Revised planning policy for traveller sites.
• Tent.
• Tiny house.
• Touring caravan.
• The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development etc.) (England) (Amendment) Order 2023‎.

[edit] External links

• Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
• Caravan Sites Act 1968.
• The Caravan Sites Act 1968 (Amendment of Definition of Caravan) (Scotland) Order 2019
• The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development etc.) (England) (Amendment) Order 2023.
• https://www.caravanclub.co.uk
• https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/
• https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media-centre/press-releases/130-years-of-the-wanderer/
• https://www.leisuredays.co.uk/news/the-heritage-of-the-holiday-static-caravan-7496/
• https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/10-things-you-probably-didn-t-know-about-the-history-of-the-static-caravan/