SINGLETON land owners wishing to live on their property whilst building a new home will only be able to do so in a caravan.

Singleton Council has developed a new policy that allows property owners to live in a caravan only for a maximum period of six months while they are in the process of building a home on that property.

The only facilities allowed in an adjacent shed or garage is a bathroom and temporary laundry.

The new temporary residential occupancy of land policy was adopted by Singleton Council at Monday night’s meeting following a 21-day public exhibition period with no public submissions received.

Council had originally planned a 28-day public exhibition period.

Under Council’s new policy, extensions to temporary buildings will only be considered if an applicant can prove to council’s satisfaction that adequate progress has been made on the construction of the main dwelling house.

The total period approved will only be extended to 18 months at which time the approval will be revoked.

Council reviewed its previous policy concerned that money spent on site works to make sheds comfortable prevented many owners from making a start on their dwelling.

Singleton Council’s director planning and regulations Mark Ihlein said this left Council with a compliance issue of people illegally occupying sheds as long-term dwellings.

Mr Ihlein said he hoped that people would see the new policy as an incentive to build their home rather than settle for their temporary structure.

The policy will be reviewed by the Building Regulation coordinator in two years time with monitoring of the policy to be carried out by the coordinator and Mr Ihlein.