Image: Ben Carpenter Photography
The Caboose team visited The Glamping Show last week for some inspiration and information. There were some great products on show and our favourites included the Shepherd’s Brace Hut from Blackdown Shepherd Huts and the LovTub from Naked Flame Eco-Tubs Limited, they were amazing!
There was also a wealth of expert advice available for anyone considering a glamping offer either as part of an existing accommodation provision or as an add-on to a different type of business – glamping pods are an ideal way for campsites to extend their season, for example.
Fenella Collins, Head of Planning, CLA, hosted a seminar on how Planning Permission works for glamping, an interesting subject given the permanence of many of the solutions on the market today. Glamping was defined as ‘A form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping’, but it isn’t yet defined in legislation.
The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 contains the legal provisions for planning as a whole including the use, and changes of use, of land and buildings. The definition of development (section 55) has two parts which you need to consider, even for glamping. Firstly, does your plan involve an operational development (building), and secondly, will there be a material change of use of building or land. The answer will inevitably be yes to one or both of these, so in most instances if you are looking to provide a year-round glamping offer then you will need to seek planning permission from your local authority.
However, Permitted Development Rights, Part 4 Class B Temporary Uses of Land will allow you to temporarily provide glamping on your land for up to 28 days a year. These 28 days can be split throughout the year which means you can use them to provide accommodation for large events or to extend your current season.
Our Caboose Glamping Pods could be the ideal solution for anyone looking to utilise these 28 days each year or to test the market before committing to a planning application. Our pods were born to travel and with light touch and flexible deployment, we can have a pop-up hotel operational within 24 hours.
Here are some resources that the CLA shared for more information on planning permission:
Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (the 1990 Act) – this contains the legal provisions for planning as a whole including the use and changes of use of land and buildings.
The Caravans and Control of Development Act 1960 (the 1960 Act) – sets out the requirements for the system of licensing caravan sites by local authorities (on which some of the planning requirements are based).
The Caravan Sites Act 1968 (the 1968 Act) – this Act amended the definition of caravan contained in the 1960 Act.
Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (GPDO 2015) – Part 5 Caravan sites and recreational campsites.