Bromley Council's Plans Sub-Committee No. 2 has refused permission for a mobile home to be sited at 7 Jail Lane, Biggin Hill. The decision was made during a meeting held on Thursday, September 10, 2026, as detailed in the Public reports pack.
The application sought a Lawful Development Certificate for the use of land to site a mobile home within the garden of the existing property. Despite the applicant providing a specification and method statement for moving the twin-unit caravan, and referencing appeal decisions where similar structures were deemed lawful, the committee ultimately refused the application.
The refusal was based on previous refusal of a similar development in the area and concerns raised by neighbours regarding overdevelopment, the transportability of the structure, and its impact on the surrounding area.
In planning law, a caravan, which includes a mobile home, is defined under section 29 (1) of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 as any structure designed or adapted for human habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another
. A twin-unit caravan, as amended by the Caravan Sites Act 1968, is a structure designed for habitation composed of not more than two sections that can be assembled on site and is capable of being moved by road. The crucial distinction from a permanent dwelling is its continued mobility; if this is lost due to development, it ceases to be classified as a caravan.
Previous refusals of similar developments in the area and the concerns raised by neighbours were key factors in the committee's decision. These concerns encompassed potential overdevelopment, the practicalities of transporting the structure, and its overall impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.
The meeting details can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Decisions document from the same date.