Granny Annexe Planning Permission in Crawley

Crawley Annexes: Caravan Act, Permitted Development, Or Full Application

The planning position for a Crawley annexe comes down to two questions, is it genuinely mobile within the Caravan Act’s size limits, and is it genuinely ancillary to the house rather than a separate, independent dwelling.

A structure meeting the caravan definition, movable by road, built in no more than two sections, within 20 metres by 6.8 metres by 3.05 metres internal height, can often be sited in a Crawley garden without full planning permission, provided it stays ancillary.

Where a Crawley annexe is permanently fixed, or genuinely self-contained with its own facilities used independently, the caravan and permitted development routes generally don’t apply, and a full application becomes the realistic path. A Crawley annexe needing full planning permission usually needs both, our Building Regulations drawings in Crawley service covers the technical compliance side, and our structural calculations in Crawley service covers the engineering detail.

Right Route Confirmed

Caravan Act, permitted development, or full planning

Caravan Act Route

Movable structures that may need no permission at all

PD Size & Siting

Permitted development limits checked properly

Council-Ready

Applications built to be approved

How We Help in Crawley

We begin every Crawley annexe project with an honest assessment of the actual plans, size, mobility, and intended use, before any design work begins.

Where the Caravan Act or permitted development genuinely applies to your Crawley project, we confirm that properly, usually via a Lawful Development Certificate, rather than defaulting to a full application that isn’t needed.

Where genuine self-containment means a full application is required, we build that around what Crawley’s council specifically expects to see.

What Crawley Annexe Clients Actually Get

Honesty about what your Crawley annexe actually needs comes before any recommendation, not after we’ve quoted for the more expensive route.

We understand the genuine legal distinction between incidental and self-contained use for Crawley annexe projects, which is exactly what most generic guidance gets wrong.

A Lawful Development Certificate, where your Crawley annexe genuinely qualifies for it, gives you written confirmation rather than a risky assumption. If you need help with a granny annexe, give us a call on 0330 133 5316 or fill in the form below.

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Crawley Annexe Planning Questions Answered

What determines if my Crawley annexe needs planning permission?

This genuinely depends on your specific plans for Crawley, we check whether the structure is mobile, incidental, or self-contained before advising either way.

What size limits apply to a caravan-style annexe in Crawley?

The Caravan Sites Act 1968 sets the limits, 20 metres long, 6.8 metres wide, 3.05 metres internal height, and the structure must be moveable by road in one or two sections, we check whether your Crawley plans genuinely meet this.

What outbuilding rules apply to a Crawley annexe?

It depends on genuine use, an incidental Crawley outbuilding can qualify under Class E, but introducing real sleeping accommodation used independently takes it outside permitted development regardless of size.

What makes an annexe a separate dwelling in Crawley?

Genuine independence is the test in Crawley, if the annexe could function as a separate home on its own, full planning permission is almost always the realistic route.

Is a Lawful Development Certificate worth it in Crawley?

Strongly recommended for Crawley annexes, an assumption that a structure qualifies isn’t the same as formal confirmation, and a Lawful Development Certificate closes that gap.

Can you manage everything for my Crawley annexe project?

Yes, we coordinate every part of a Crawley annexe project, from establishing the correct route through to building regulations sign-off, so nothing falls through the gap.