Peter and Joan Foster want to erect a mobile home in their property’s garden for their daughter and her partner to live in – but would this require planning permission? Mike Dade investigates

PLOT WATCH: Mike Dade investigates

WHO Peter and Joan Foster

WHAT The Fosters are considering erecting a mobile home in their garden to provide accommodation for their daughter. Will they be able to do this without formal planning consent?

WHERE Sussex

Peter and Joan Foster have been searching for a way to help their daughter and her partner find accommodation near their own rural home. Properties in the area are expensive and there’s next to nothing available to rent. A friend suggested a mobile home in the Fosters’ garden, and after investigating this idea further, it seems like it could be a good solution. But can the pair simply plonk a large cabin behind their house and, if they could, would there be any restrictions on how it could be used?

Mobile home basics

If your mental picture of this kind of accommodation features tin boxes set in sterile lines on a windswept bit of coastline, think again. The industry has moved forward in leaps and bounds in recent years and these structures now come in a wide range of designs and finishes, from rustic logcabins to sleek contemporary designs.