Tiny houses and the size of a home

Plenty of people like the idea of living in a small, simple home. In law, a tiny house can be a caravan, or it can be a home built in one place. The rules on size depend on which it is, and on where in England it stands.

Caravan or house?

For caravan sites, Part I of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 defines a caravan as "any structure designed or adapted for human habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another (whether by being towed, or by being transported on a motor vehicle or trailer)". A tiny house on wheels can fall within that definition. Anyone unsure how their own tiny house would be treated can ask the local planning authority.

On the road

GOV.UK says, "The maximum trailer width for any towing vehicle is 2.55 metres." If the towing vehicle's maximum authorised mass is 3,500kg or less, the trailer can be no longer than 7 metres.

The space standard

The government's nationally described space standard sets minimum floor areas for new homes. Where a council has adopted it, a one-bedroom home for one person on one storey needs a gross internal area of at least 39 square metres. If that home has a shower room instead of a bathroom, the standard says the floor area may be reduced from 39 to 37 square metres.

Where the standard applies

The standard is for people designing new homes and seeking planning approval, where the local authority has adopted it in its Local Plan. Each council chooses whether to adopt it. Government guidance says local planning authorities "will need to gather evidence to determine whether there is a need for additional standards in their area".

The standard says its rules for bedrooms, storage and internal areas are relevant only to meeting the standard in new homes. It says they have no other statutory meaning or use.

Rooms inside

Under the standard, a single bedroom for one person has a floor area of at least 7.5 square metres and is at least 2.15 metres wide. The minimum floor to ceiling height is 2.3 metres, for at least 75% of the gross internal area.

Built as a home

GOV.UK says the Building Regulations 2010 cover the construction and extension of buildings. It also says, "Building regulations approval is different from planning permission. You might need both." Anyone who cannot decide whether they need approval can check with a building control body.

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