I am considering buying a touring caravan, but the only place I can keep it is in the front garden in full view of the neighbours. Will I need Planning Permission for this?
The first thing you need to establish is whether your property is subject to any restrictive covenant preventing you from placing a caravan on your property. Many properties are subject to restrictions preventing the storing of anything other than domestic vehicles on their properties.
Planning Permission is not mandatory in such circumstances, but you will be well advised to check with the local authority planning department first in order to ensure there is no objection.
If you can fence around the area where the caravan will be stored then this very often helps in appeasing the neighbours, who can see that you are making efforts to consider them by screening what many may regard as an eyesore. As with all potential planning related issues it would be courteous to discuss this with your neighbours to establish that they have no objection to your storing the caravan on your property.
Even if there was a restriction on the title preventing you from doing so, it is less likely to be enforced if you have the support and backing of your neighbours. After all, breaches of covenant are often raised directly as a result of objections received from people living next door.