If invited, would you live in a log cabin - in your son's garden...?

Hi Pamela, Thanks. Article in the Sunday Telegraph this weekend. Dee

Hi, thank you so much for your comments. I would be delighted to answer any questions -you are not the only one - and will send a private message. The Sunday Telegraph interviewed me today, are taking photographs in the morning for a piece in the paper next Sunday (I hope) so you might like to buy a copy! Cheers Dee

Good morning, heard Deetales on Radio 4 and did not know re Gransnet- so have joined! Deetales- great to hear you are happy in your lodge. I have been in my Hygge for 10 days now and absolutely love it. My son in law has a large garden and like you we discussed at length the pros and cons of being neighbours. He has built it from scratch, as well as working full time in his own job and 2 small children. We have ground rules like I'm not an ad hoc child minder - but we help each other when we need to. I love my privacy and space. Like you I have chosen interiors and been involved in its construction. For us as a family it's a win win situation. I am not interested in owning a house it's a great size, brick built well insulated underfloor heating etc and coaxed outside with lighting and natural wood. My children and I wanted me to work less hours and enjoy life and not worry re money. For us it works- and hearing you on radio 4 made me smile !

Just caught up with your interview, DeeTales Glad it's working out for you. I was amused to hear the bit about you texting your family during the day to make arrangements etc. We also go three or four days without seeing DD and the DGSs even though they're at the other end of the garden and I use facebook messenger to keep in touch.

Glad I'm not the only one who finds this facility invaluable. DH thinks it's anti-social. I think it's brilliant!!

Wooden lodges are wonderful - it was one option for us on DD's land. But we happened to find a lovely spacious bungalow 10 minutes from two of the DDs, so eventually went for that.

Hi DeeTales - I've also just heard your interview on WH and have been discussing exactly the same arrangement with my daughter and her partner. For several reasons it's a logical solution for us, and I was so pleased to hear your positive comments.
I wonder, would you be comfortable sharing more details (offline) with me e.g lodge manufacturer, timescales, approach to planning etc? I would really value your experience and seems no sense in re-inventing the wheel so to speak. Who knows, you might set up a consultancy in Lodge Living! If you're in agreement, perhaps I could ask Jane Garvey to forward you my email address and we can be in touch? Please let me know your thoughts and many thanks.

Heard you on Radio 4 this morning, glad it's all working well.

Good morning DeeTales I heard your interview on Woman's Hour this morning, thanks for mentioning GN, I've read your thread now. I'm very happy all turned out so well for you, not without some stress it sounds. I think your home sounds lovely and you'll never be lonely.
Best wishes

That sounds wonderful. You can relax and enjoy it all now. Thank you for the update.

Pleased it went well for and you're enjoying life near your family.

Sounds amazing lucky you

I would love it - always wanted to be Mrs Grizzly Adams but sadly he's dead now and forgot to ask me . So this might be the nearest thing - sounds great DeeTales, but what happens if relationships change ? I don't know why you're not paying council tax , either . However you sound like an adaptable ,able to cope with anything nomad - enjoy this fun.

Hi all! Update on living in a log cabin...thought some of you might like to know the story thus far. Moved in the rain (of course) Friday 25th Oct. Planning approved in August so my role as Project Manager began. Hardly grand designs no hard hat or hi viz gilet but, oh boy, the chasing local traders bit and offering work for 2-3weeks was unbelievably frustrating. Unanswered txts, emails and phone messages seem to be the norm. How do they manage to keep working? 'No job too small' they advertise...anyway, eventually, fitting out my new independent domain became clearer. Plans on paper, daily trips to my local DIY store choosing colours, flooring, tiling etc., etc., Excess furniture went on eBay. I was already used to living in a small cottage but I now had to 'down down size'. Amazing how you can adapt, re-cycle. My privacy is respected. Family, 4 teens (!) have quickly accepted their gran in the garden. We manage our separate lives with ease. I'm an extra driver when required as chauffeur or shopper. It works. A garden party to celebrate is planned. Son and daughter-in-law laid back...after all, it was their idea!. Result.

I would not be moved

Think you have to decide yourself, sounds lovely, but are you close to your son, 24/7. If I were alone maybe I would!

Thank you J52. Day 3 and construction is thorough and solid. Son's garden a building site. Think of it as a holiday cottage but permanent. More stylish than a static caravan and layout to my own simple spec.

The planning permission will, however, state that whatever the construction, the cabin is treated as part of the main dwelling and cannot be regarded as a separate entity.

Which is the same as...

Also if the permission gained was for a "granny annex" you cannot sell it as a separate dwelling in its own right at a later point (without a hell of a lot of planning hassle)

Caravans/mobile homes are allowed without planning permission but are not insurable if none is obtained. It all depends on whether there are likely to be any objectons from neighbours etc.

We've done this, notanan so I do have first hand experience.

If you build a garden office, and later use or try to rent it as a dwelling, you need to go through the process of dividing a single dwelling (as the permitted development and house whose garden it's in counts as one dwelling as far as planning is concerned)

Not easy to split a dwelling at a later date at all, there's no easy loopholes

Also if the permission gained was for a "granny annex" you cannot sell it as a separate dwelling in its own right at a later point (without a hell of a lot of planning hassle)

Planning in UK is very restrictive, more than people often think!

the usual exceptions are livestock on the land that need someone on site to tend to them, sheep don't count but pigs do.

If you have pigs you can stay on your land for more than 28 days in a mobile structure.

I think different rules apply for differing situations. A friend built a small office in their garden, under permitted development, they assumes. Not so it requires full planning permission and is under retrospective review, at the moment.

you can't stay on a caravan on your own land for more than 28 days without moving it (and not around same plot of land) without one of the sorts of planning permissions merlotgran.

You don't need full permission for movable structures, but its still very diffucult to get permission for even movable structures that are inhabited for more than 28 days per site

This even applies to tents and trailers.

Not quite so, notanan. Some log cabins are classed as moveable (like mobile homes) and don't need full planning permission. The planning permission will, however, state that whatever the construction, the cabin is treated as part of the main dwelling and cannot be regarded as a separate entity.

it's very hard to get proper planning for this sort of thing in the UK if you declare that it'll be resided in for more than 28 days a year.

If you do have planning for a permanant dwelling, that's great, but IMO there has to be independant access.. if you have to go through the DS and DILs house to get to your house it sounds awful all round IMO

It depends on so many things, if you have no money and this is offered I would probably take it, if not definately no. With your own property you have choice, in someone else garden, none.