Caravan Act, PD & Full Planning Explained

Granny Annexe Planning Permission in
West Molesey

A genuinely self-contained West Molesey granny annexe, complete with its own kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom used independently of the main house, sits outside permitted development almost universally and usually needs a full planning application.

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Local to West Molesey
Three Routes Explained
Council-Ready Applications

What West Molesey Families Need To Know About Annexes

The planning position for a West Molesey 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 West Molesey garden without full planning permission, provided it stays ancillary.

Where a West Molesey 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 West Molesey annexe needing full planning permission usually needs both, our Building Regulations drawings in West Molesey service covers the technical compliance side, and our structural calculations in West Molesey 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

Granny annexe planning permission

How We Help in West Molesey

We start every West Molesey annexe project by establishing the real starting point, a mobile structure within Caravan Act limits, an incidental outbuilding, or genuine independent living space, since that single distinction shapes everything that follows.

Your West Molesey application or certificate, whichever applies, is built around what your local council specifically expects to see, not a generic template.

Structural and building regulations work for West Molesey annexe projects is handled properly from the outset, informed by real experience with this kind of project.

Why West Molesey Families Trust Our Annexe Specialists

Honesty about what your West Molesey 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 West Molesey annexe projects, which is exactly what most generic guidance gets wrong.

A Lawful Development Certificate, where your West Molesey 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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Granny Annexe Planning Permission: West Molesey FAQs

Do I need planning permission for a granny annexe in West Molesey?

It depends on three things, whether the structure genuinely qualifies as a caravan under the Caravan Sites Act, whether it stays incidental to the house under permitted development, or whether it’s a self-contained dwelling, which almost always needs a full application in West Molesey.

What is the Caravan Act route for a West Molesey annexe?

Under the Caravan Sites Act 1968, a structure qualifies as a caravan if it’s capable of being moved by road in no more than two sections, and doesn’t exceed 20 metres in length, 6.8 metres in width, or 3.05 metres in internal height, West Molesey annexes meeting this can often avoid planning permission if they stay ancillary to the house.

Can I use permitted development for a West Molesey annexe?

Only if it stays genuinely incidental to the house, West Molesey outbuildings under Class E permitted development cannot be separate, self-contained living accommodation, the moment sleeping facilities are used independently, permitted development stops applying.

What counts as a self-contained annexe in West Molesey?

A West Molesey annexe with its own bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, used independently of the main house rather than as shared accommodation, is generally treated as self-contained, which usually means full planning permission is needed.

Do I need a Lawful Development Certificate for my West Molesey annexe?

We recommend it, even where your West Molesey annexe genuinely qualifies as a caravan or permitted development, a Lawful Development Certificate gives you written confirmation rather than an assumption that could cause problems later, particularly when selling.

Can you handle planning and building regulations for my West Molesey annexe?

Yes, we handle the full picture for West Molesey annexe projects, the planning route, whichever applies, and building regulations compliance, as one coordinated service.