Touring caravan

[edit] Origins of 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 krvn or 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 for of mobile home, other related terms that might be used are touring wagon, gypsy (traveller) caravan, more correctly Romani wagons or Vardo.

[edit] The earliest touring caravan

The UK Caravan and motorhome Club talked of the 130 year anniversary of The Wanderer, possibly one of the first UK touring caravans. The Wanderer caravan travelled 1,400 miles during the summer of 1885, being towed by two horses from Twyford in Berkshire to Inverness, from where the caravan returned to London by rail before continuing its journey along the South Coast, reaching as far as Lymington in the New Forest. It was owned by popular Victorian Author, Dr William Gordon Stables. (130 years of The Wanderer).

By the early 1900s, in the late Victorian age the physical benefits of trips away from the city to the seaside or country started to include holiday camps. Slowly the options of touring in a caravan or renting a static caravan for ones break developed, as such it was in 1907 that the The UK Caravan and motorhome Club was formed. 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. By the 1930's other companies such as Rollalong, Raven, Carlight and Pilot had entered the market and more and more campsites with facilities started to appear. By this time and because of the possibility of owning campsites and increasing number of land owners started to purchase the caravans to keep permanently on site which saw the growth of the static caravan industry, alongside the touring caravan industry.

By the 1950's with the increasing availability of the motor car, caravanning was set to become a boom industry in the UK, particularly for touring caravans pulled by owners cars, with numerous companies producing ever more luxurious caravans for purchase. Alongside this static caravan sites as alternative holiday destinations in rural parts of the UK contuniued to thrive, with likewise increasing comfort and facilties.

[edit] Touring caravans today

Today touring caravans are a small living units between as little as 3 and up to 7 metres in length, excluding the towing mechanism and at standard road widths. These caravans are designed to be used for short holiday periods, towed by car from place to place, it is illegal for persons to be inside the caravan when it is being towed. There are a variety of relevant laws and permissions relating to the use and storage of touring caravans, whilst separate laws and permissions exist that relate more specifically to static caravans.

[edit] Short period stays

Parking touring caravans for short periods of time or a few nights is usually acceptable (though is a grey area) including parking on roads, although from a legal point of view any obstruction, or dangerous parking will be judged as illegal. The vehicle should be lit at night with rear lights visible for oncoming traffic.

[edit] Up to 28 days stays

For longer periods of time unless parked in a licenced and permitted caravan park, the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 cover period up to days. In Schedule 2, Part 4 is states that permitted development Class B includes "The use of any land for any purpose for not more than 28 days in total in any calendar year… and the provision on the land of any moveable structure for the purposes of the permitted use." This use will however require permission from the land owner.

[edit] Up to 60 days stays

On 5th July, English parliament updated the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development etc.) (England) (Amendment) Order 2023 to create new allowances for campsites in England (the new Class BC amendment). These include extending the duration that is it permitted to camp from 28 days to up to 60 days per calendar year. Though guidance should be sought on the finer detail as to its application for camping and for caravaning, as well as requirements for licences.

[edit] Storage

These types of caravans are usually stored at a persons home, so planning permission is usually not needed to store a caravan in a garden or on a driveway, but maybe required if stored anywhere other than these places. Some urban areas or housing developments do not allow caravans to be parked, so it is good to check with the provider or local council first, especially if it may be considered to be causing an obstruction. If such a caravan is being used as a completely self-sufficient home, on site rather than as an extension of a home for holiday purposes, then planning permission is most likely to be required

[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.
• Green belt.
• Gypsies and travellers and travelling showpeople.
• Mobile home.
• National Planning Policy Framework.
• Planning permission.
• Review of housing needs for caravans and houseboats.
• Revised planning policy for traveller sites.
• Tent.
• 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/